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News
2011 Hall of Fame Inductee
Bonnie Howe, president and chief executive officer of Houston Swim Club, becomes the 34th inductee and joins an exclusive group of people who have been so honored by the U.S. Swim School Association since 1990.
Howe operates the Houston Swim Club, which was formerly known as Phill Hansel Swimming Academy and has been around since 1953. After managing the facility for eight years, Howe purchased Houston Swim Club from Hansel in 1994. Howe has maintained the standard set by Hansel, a 1999 Hall of Fame inductee and former University of Houston/U.S. Olympic coach. She continues to implement the structured teaching methods, safety and positive environment to ensure that students can achieve their swimming goals. Over a quarter of a million students have learned to swim at Houston Swim Club for the past five decades.
Howe, a member of the U.S. Swim School Association since 1994, has also led the expansion of the Houston Swim Club, which now boasts four locations in the area. In addition to the original location in Sharpstown, there are sites in Sugar Land, Katy and Pearland.
2011 Humanitarian Award
Tara Girch as the recipient of the Humanitarian award, given to a member was nominated by the membership and provides outstanding service to the local community in some way related to water safety, drowning prevention or aquatic education. She becomes the sixth winner of the award, which was introduced in 2007.
Owner of MarTar Swim School in Ellicott City, Maryland, with her husband Marty, Girch has been teaching swimming since 1987 and has also worked for 19 years as a school teacher. Girch has a background in Special Education and holds an Adaptive Aquatics Certification from the International Swim Instructors Association. In addition, she started the pilot program for the Howard County Special Olympics “Begin to Swim” initiative in 2010. MarTar Swim School has specialized in teaching individuals with special needs, including children and adults with Autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD, PDD, Cerebral Palsy and Visual and/or Audio Impairments. Girch and the instructors at MarTar, who all have extensive experience or degrees in education as well as a background in swimming, employ a variety of techniques including but not limited to visual aids and sign language.
2011 Guiding Light Award
Tammy Anderson was honored with the Guiding Light award, given to a member who has made a particularly outstanding contribution to the organization during the previous year. She became the 16th winner of the award, which was introduced in 1995. The owner and chief executive officer of Aqua Pros Swim School in San Diego, Anderson has been a swim instructor for over 32 years. She is a member of the U.S. Swim School Association, the World Aquatic Baby Congress and is certified in Infant Toddler Instruction. In addition, Anderson co-wrote a book called “Swimming with Autism” with Cathy Ball. The Aqua Pros Swim School works closely with and supports the San Diego Chapter of the Autism Society of America. They are actively involved with a Pool Pals Program, Swim Lesson Program and Surf Camp, which all help provide swim and recreational activities to children and families in the autism community.
2011 "Best Of" Award Winners
For the “Best of…” awards, member swim schools all across the world were invited to enter submissions in a variety of categories. Winners were then selected based on a vote by members in attendance at the conference. The 2011 “Best of Association” award winners are as follows:
Category Winning Swim School Location
Print Ad SWIMkids USA, Inc. Mesa, AZ
Photo SwimKids Swim School Manassas, VA
Website Iddy Biddy Swim School Sycamore, IL
Seal Swim School Tampa, FL
Blog Hubbard Family Swim School Phoenix, AZ
T-Shirt La Petite Baleen San Francisco, CA
Promotion SWIMkids USA, Inc. Mesa, AZ
Facility SwimKids Swim School Manassas, VA
Leadership SwimKids Swim School Manassas, VA
Pool Safely Campaign Adds New Partners
With the 2011 Pool Safely campaign launch around the corner, we wanted to take a moment to introduce our 2011 Campaign Safety Partners (CSPs) and Campaign Safety Leaders (CSLs), who have committed to help promote the campaign in 2011. CSPs and CSLs are vital to the success of the campaign and we are thrilled to have such a robust group of drowning prevention and water safety advocates on our side. Public Relations Committee Member John Kirk worked to get the US Swim School Association as a Safety Partner. The attached press release announcing our partners was distributed today.
2ND Annual World’s Largest Swimming Lesson
Swim school members from The US Swim School Association are invited to take part in the 2nd annual World’s Largest Swimming Lesson on June 14, 2011. In an effort to promote drowning prevention and bring media attention to water safety and your swim school the nation’s top water safety and training organizations have joined forces to get water parks, pools, and other aquatic facilities around the world to simultaneously hold the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson and smash the 2010 WLSL Guinness World Record. Most importantly we are spreading the word the swimming lessons save lives.
Fifteen Association swim schools participated in the Inaugural World’s Largest Swimming Lesson in 2010. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to highlight your swim school in the local media. For additional details and to register, visit www.worldslargestswimminglesson.org. Registration opens on Monday February 14, 2011 and runs through May 20, 2011.
REMEMBER: MAY IS NATIONAL WATER SAFETY AWARENESS MONTH!
Association Begins the Oprah Campaign to Crusade for Public Awareness of the American Drowning Epidemic and Drowning Prevention ~ Calling EVERYONE to Participate!
The U.S. Swim School Association along with other drowning prevention organizations are campaigning to have the drowning epidemic in America highlighted on the Oprah Winfrey Show during this, her last season. It is our hope that drowning prevention will be impacted by the ‘Oprah Effect’. In order to make this happen YOU will have to participate!
GOAL: Saturation. Let’s give Oprah 10,000 e-mails and/or letters with our plea.
TIME: Send your emails and/or letters between January 24-February 14
HOW:
• Use the letter link below or the pre-written email text to contact The Oprah Winfrey Show (letters and contact information below)
• Enlist your staff to do the same
• Promote this campaign within your swim school, underscore your lifesaving message and have your customers send the email and letter, too
• Recruit as many people as you can; family, friends, facebook friends, etc. This is not just for “swim” people
• Post this message on Facebook and Twitter
To submit electronically:
Follow this link to submit Show Ideas: https://www.oprah.com/ownshow/plug_form.html?plug_id=216
Insert the following text into the ‘Your Message’ box, being sure to leave America’s Drowning Epidemic as your first line.
America’s Drowning Epidemic
Please highlight the vital topic of water safety and drowning prevention on the Oprah Show while it still airs on a national network. Every day an average of 10 people die from drowning in this country. 58% of African American children and 56% of Hispanic children don’t know how to swim and neither do their parents. Every year, nearly 3500 people drown nationwide. Doesn’t that deserve some national attention? Check out this fact sheet for confirmation from the CDC on the incidence of drowning in America.
The Center for Disease Control Unintentional Drowning Fact Sheet
http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Water-Safety/waterinjuries-factsheet.html
Allotting a portion of your show to this critically important topic could have a significant impact on these harrowing statistics. There are so many myths to be dispelled about how, when and where people drown. Please use your voice to save and educate millions of people.
A copy of a campaign letter template can be found in the Association’s library or you can certainly write your own. Letters should be mailed to:
Oprah Winfrey
Harpo Productions, Harpo Studios
110 North Carpenter Street
Chicago, IL 60607-2146
This a great chance to get our message heard. Remember, there is power in numbers. Let the Oprah Campaign begin!
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Association Vice-President, Mary Reilly-Magee, is a 2010 Stevie Award for Women in Business Honoree
We are proud to announce that Association Vice-President, Mary Reilly-Magee, was honored in New York on November 12th at the 7th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business. The Stevie Awards for Women in Business is sponsored by the Business TalkRadio Network and KeyBank and is an international competition recognizing the accomplishments of outstanding women executives and entrepreneurs, and the organizations they run. The awards are produced by the creators of the prestigious American Business Awards(SM). Mary was named as BEST ENTREPRENEUR in one of the service business sectors and was among an unprecedented 1,200 international businesswomen nominated to 54 categories from organizations of all sizes, in virtually every industry. Business professionals worldwide and members of the awardʼs Board of Distinguished Judges & Advisors chose this year's winners. Mary was presented the Stevie by Anita Kuzma, a Senior Strategist with KeyBank's Key4Women program. In accepting the Stevie, Mary said, “When youʼre in the business of saving lives, itʼs easy to be passionate”.
Former U.S. Swim School Association president, Jim Hazen, who attended the Stevie Award ceremony said, “I am proud to have been in attendance when Mary was recognized. She is an outstanding representative for not only her school, but the Association as well.” Hazen went on to say, “It is an honor for the Association to have a member win such a distinguished award.”
Mary is the founder and owner of Love to Swim and Tumble School which operates in both San Antonio and Schertz, Texas. “Itʼs truly an honor to win a Stevie Award,” said Mary Reilly-Magee. “These awards really showcase a group of extremely talented businesswomen, and winning the award tells me that, with my business, I am on the right track to fulfill my purpose of preventing unnecessary drowning tragedies.” The Stevie Award falls in line with other recent recognition for Love to Swim and Tumble School and Mary Reilly-Magee, including features on Good Morning San Antonio and San Antonio Living morning shows and Nickelodeonʼs Parentsʼ Pick for Best Swim School in San Antonio.
Elected to the Association’s Board of Directors in 2008 and then to the office of Vice-President in 2009, Mary is also an active member of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance and the Swim for Life Foundation.
Congratulations Mary! This is well deserved!
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Association Bestows Highest Honors on Distinguished Members
Each year at the National Conference the Board of Directors is proud to recognize and thank some of the leaders within this organization as well as advocates of drowning prevention and aquatic safety through swim lessons. The 2010 award recipients are:
Jan Emler, owner of Emler Swim Schools in Texas, honored with induction into the Association’s Hall of Fame and recognized for her 35 years of excellence and dedication to the aquatic education profession and for her service to this Association. Jan, began her swim lesson career as a teenager and continued to grow in her skills, her expertise, her entrepreneurial endeavors, her reputation, and her influence in the learn-to-swim industry. Jan has been a great resource and influence for so many swim school owners. Her support and guidance are contributing reasons that many of our members have been successful entrepreneurs like her.
Wayne Ziegler, owner of Aqua Culture Swim School in Maryland received the Guiding Light Award for his active service to this organization over recent years. Not only has Wayne attended to the audio/visual needs at all of the Association events, but he has also been instrumental in formulating the committees and fashioning the terms of reference, the guidelines and the commitment forms that go along with them.
Cindy and Johnny Johnson, owners of Blue Buoy Swim School in California and founders of the Swim for Life Foundation where both acknowledged with the Humanitarian Service Award for their varied and extensive service to their community in the field of drowning prevention and water safety. Their outreach has not only touched the lives of those in their own local community, but they have spread their important message through our association and throughout the world. Johnny worked for many years to encourage the American Academy of Pediatrics to modify their statement on swimming lessons for children under the age of 4. In May this year the statement was effectively changed.
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Pool Safely Campaign
Dear Pool and Spa Community:
CPSC launched the Pool Safely campaign in May 2010 to reduce child drownings, non-fatal submersions and entrapments in pools and spas. Since then we have been working around the country with a variety of campaign partners and water safety experts to inform and educate the public about drowning and entrapment prevention and how adopting simple safety steps can save lives.
At 1:00 PM ET on August 26th, we will be hosting a webinar to discuss the Pool Safely campaign and water safety and rescue issues. CPSC’s Scott Wolfson will be joined by the Home Safety Council’s Angela Mickalide and, first responder and water safety experts, Linda Kirby of the Phoenix Fire Department and Gerald Dworkin of Lifesaving Resources. Webinar participants will learn about resources and materials available to help make drowning prevention a priority in communities across the U.S.
I encourage you to join this informational session. To register to participate, please send an email to elizabeth.curwen@widmeyer.com.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Reilly
US Consumer Product Safety Commission
Pool Safely Project Leader
www.PoolSafely.gov
CPSC and HSC invite you to attend this online meeting.
Topic: Pool Safely Campaign Webinar
Date: Thursday, August 26, 2010
Time: 1:00 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (GMT -04:00, New York)
Meeting Number: 610 931 541
Meeting Password: poolsafely
Please click the link below to see more information, or to join the meeting.
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To join the online meeting
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1. Go to https://meetings.webex.com/meetings/j.php?ED=11628802&UID=0
2. Enter your name and email address.
3. Enter the meeting password: poolsafely
4. Click "Join".
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To join the teleconference only
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Call-in toll-free number (US/Canada): 1-866-469-3239
Call-in toll number (US/Canada): 1-650-429-3300
Toll-free dialing restrictions: http://www.webex.com/pdf/tollfree_restrictions.pdf
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Swim Schools Applaud the American Academy of Pediatrics’ New Water Safety Guidelines
GREAT news for the learn-to-swim industry! On May 24th, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a statement indicating that they have revised their policy on swim lessons for children! This news will empower swim schools all over the country as they communicate how vital swim lessons are for young children so that we can all do our part to reduce the risk of death through drowning!
In its updated policy, the AAP has revised its guidance on swimming lessons and also highlights new drowning risks. Jeffrey Weiss, lead author of the policy statement says, “To protect their children, parents need to think about layers of protection. Children need to learn to swim. Swimming lessons can be an important part of the overall protection, which should include pool barriers and constant, capable supervision.” The statement goes on to say that new evidence shows that children ages 1 to 4 may be less likely to drown if they have had formal swimming instruction. To read the AAP’s revised statement in its entirety, visit the AAP website
This new guideline is a monumental change that indicates that the AAP recognizes the evidence that U.S. Swim School Association member schools have been promoting for years: formal swim lessons are a vital part of the multilevel approach to drowning prevention and water safety. The AAP offers a specific 11 point advice list for parents that includes:
- Never leaving children without adult supervision around any type of water
- Closely supervise children at all times
- Inquiring about exposure to water when your children are not in your care
- Installing appropriate fencing and gate systems around pools
- Providing swimming lessons to children
- Learning CPR
- Not using air-filled swimming aids
- Wearing life-jackets when children are in boats
- Knowing water depth and underwater hazards before allowing children to jump in any body of water
- Swimming at lifeguard supervised open bodies of water
- Counseling teenagers on the increased risk of drowning when alcohol is involved
If you would like to learn more about water safety, drowning prevention or if you would like to sign your child up for swim lessons, please visit the Association’s Swim School Directory to find a member swim school in your area.
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WORLD'S LARGEST SWIMMING LESSON™
In a combined effort of prestigious water safety, drowning prevention, swim lesson, competitive swim and water park organizations the WORLD’S LARGEST SWIMMING LESSON™ took place on Thursday June 3, 2010 at 10am EST at facilities all over the world! This event, which was scheduled at the beginning of the summer swim season, set as its lofty goal to bring worldwide awareness to drowning prevention and water safety.
Thousands of children around the globe bobbed, floated and flutter kicked their way into the record books by participating in The World's Largest Swimming Lesson™. Hundreds of aquatic facilities from Disney's Typhoon Lagoon near Orlando, Florida to swim schools in Orange Country, CA to community centers in the Bronx, to locations as far reaching as Zambia, Lebanon, Dubai, and the USAG Humphreys in South Korea joined together to build awareness about the vital importance of teaching children to swim to help prevent drowning. While becoming World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ record holders, these facilities also helped to spread the word that Swimming Lessons Save Lives!™
The Association member schools that took part in this exciting event include:
• 5 Cities Swim School, Arroyo Grande, CA
• American Swim Academy, CA(Dublin, Freemont, Livermore & Newark)
• Aqua Culture Swim School, Forest Hill, MD
• Aqua Pros Swim School, San Diego, CA
• Bert Lozada Swim School, Manila, Philippines
• Blue Buoy Swim School, Tustin, CA
• British Swim School, Sunset, FL
• Cal Elite Kids, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
• Catch the Wave Swim Club, South Beloit, IL
• Lone Mountain Swim School, Bozeman, MT
• SwimAmerica Davis, Davis, CA
• SwimAmerica Family Swim School, Clovis, CA
• Swim-in Zone, Inc., Center Valley, PA
• SWIMkids, USA, Inc., Mesa, AZ
• Swim Reedsburg, Reedsburg, WI
• The Swim Lesson Company, Lexington, SC
Three-time Olympic gold medalist, Rowdy Gaines, lead the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ team in coordinating this event. They are looking forward to setting a new record next year with the hope that someday everyone will understand that drowning CAN and SHOULD be prevented. Learn more about this exciting event by visiting the The World's Largest Swimming Lesson™ website.
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To the Pool and Spa Community from Kathleen Reilly US Consumer Product Safety Commission
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), recently launched the Pool Safely campaign to inform the public and the pool and spa community about drowning and entrapment prevention and safety steps for around the pool and spa. The Pool Safely message will be rolled out throughout the year, including new materials and a new training video for proper inspections for compliance with the Pool and Spa Safety Act. I will let you know when this is available.
As part of the campaign we will be introducing a new website to support Pool Safely. At present we only have a landing page for this site linking to www.poolsafety.gov. In addition, you can now follow us on Twitter @poolsafely.
We recently posted some new FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) to our website, which are posted here: http://www.poolsafety.gov/pssafaqs06072010.pdf. I will soon merge these with existing FAQs and present them by topic for easy research.
Now that we are into the swimming season CPSC wants to wish you a safe, enjoyable and productive summer and remember to Pool Safely.
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