World's Largest Swimming Lesson™ (#WLSL) Kicks Off the First Day of Summer (6/21) with Global Event Teaching Kids & Parents How to Be Water Aware to Prevent Drowning.

Olympians: Amanda Beard, Maddy Crippen, Rowdy Gaines, and Lenny Krayzelburg help share vital safety information for official start of summer - #SwimmingLessonsSaveLives

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World's Largest Swimming Lesson

Jun 15, 2018, 08:17 ET

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., June 15, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

WHO: Four Olympic medalists, hundreds of instructors and more than 45,000 kids at an estimated 700 waterparks, pools and swim schools are working together to teach and learn vital water safety skills to help prevent childhood drowning.

A young swimmer practices opening her eyes underwater during the World's Largest Swimming Lesson (WLSL). The WLSL event provides more than 20,000 man hours of water safety training in a single day to help teach participants basic water competency skills and educate parents about how to keep kids safer in and around the water. Learn more at WLSL.org.

WHAT: The World's Largest Swimming Lesson™ (#WLSL @TheWLSL) is celebrating its 9^thyear of raising awareness about the critical importance of teaching kids AND parents to Be Water Aware to prevent drowning. Launched in 2010, the 24-hour event coordinates the efforts of dozens of water safety organizations and hundreds of aquatics facilities around the world spread the message Swimming Lessons Save Lives in local communities.

WHERE: WLSL is taking place at all kinds of aquatic facilities in 44 states in the US and 29 countries around the globe including: Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Ghana, India, Ireland, Japan, The Republic of Korea, Mexico, Poland, Thailand, the UAE and Uruguay to name a few. A full list of locations, addresses and contact information is available at: http://www.wlsl.org/WLSL/For_Parents/Find_Local_Event/WLSL/Locations.aspx?hkey=53edeb0c-770d-490a-abd4-bbfa5035511a

WHEN: Thursday, June 21, 2018. Event times vary by location.

WHY: Childhood drowning remains the second leading cause of death for kids under 14 and it's preventable. More drowning and near-drowning accidents take place in June than any other month and the July 4^th holiday traditionally sees an increase in drowning accidents. The WLSL program works to raise awareness of the risks involved with water, the critical importance of teaching young children water safety and swimming skills and that parents must remain vigilant at all times when supervising children in and around water. Research shows participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88% among children aged 1-4, yet many children don't receive formal training.

Interviews/Visuals:
Swim instructors, aquatic specialists, children and parents learning swimming skills at all locations. Amanda Beard at Beard Swim Co. in Gig Harbor, WA (Seattle); Maddy Crippen at Fairland Sports & Aquatics Complex, Laurel, MD (DC), Rowdy Gaines, at Aquatica Seaworld's Waterpark, Orlando; and Lenny Krayzelburg at Lenny Krayzelburg Swim Academy, Los Angeles. B-roll/photos available.

Contact:
Aleatha Ezra
[email protected]
Phone: 913-599-0300 x 11

SOURCE World's Largest Swimming Lesson