New program aims to help all local children learn to swim

The Sun Prairie Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department wants to ensure every child in our community has the opportunity to learn to swim.

To accomplish this goal -- and reduce the number of drowning and near-drowning incidents -- it has initiated a new program through which donors can sponsor swimming lessons for a child who could otherwise not afford them.

Families will sign up for the program and be placed in swim lessons based on verified need for assistance and the availability of sponsorship money.

Students will only be placed in lessons once sponsorship money is secured by the city.

In return for sponsoring swimmers, area businesses will have the opportunity to advertise at the aquatic center throughout the summer.

Fifty percent of donations will go directly to sponsoring a child in swim lessons; purchasing supplies such as goggles, kickboards, swimsuits and other swim lesson aids; and pool memberships for under-privileged children.

The other half will go directly to operating costs such as paying lifeguards and swim instructors, purchasing chlorine and paying the water and heating bills.

Here are the sponsorship levels for the 2008 American Red Cross Learn-Swim Program.

Bronze Sponsorship: Any donation less than $300. The business name will be placed on a plaque on the large sponsorship sign at the aquatic center under the bronze category.

Silver Sponsorship: A contribution of $300-$500. The business sponsors up to nine children and its name will be placed under the silver sponsorship category on the large sponsorship sign at the aquatic center as well as in the summer brochure that circulates to 15,000 households.

Gold Sponsorship: Contributions of $525-$1800. The business sponsors up to 30 children and its name is placed under the gold sponsorship category on the large sponsorship sign at the aquatic center as well as in our summer brochure that circulates to 15,000 Sun Prairie households. The business name will also be listed on all programming literature a sponsor of the Sun Prairie Swimmers.

Platinum Sponsorship: Contributions of $1,800 and up. The business sponsors 30 or more children. In addition to the same benefits as a gold sponsor, business participants at this level will have a poster-size sign placed somewhere within the aquatic center to recognize their contribution.

Download a sponsorship form.

At some point during the summer, the aquatic center will open its doors for a sponsorship party and free evening of swimming for the community.

All sponsors will be invited to put up tents, advertise and sell products or food. There will be additional sponsorship opportunities available for this special event.

Why is this program so important?

Consider these facts:

** In the most recent study published by the Centers for Disease Control, there were 3,308 unintentional fatal drownings in the United States, averaging nine people per day. This figure does not include the 676 fatalities, from drowning and other causes, due to boating-related incidents (CDC 2006; USCG 2006).

** For every child 14 and younger who dies from drowning in 2004, five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries. More than half of these children were hospitalized or transferred to another facility for treatment.

** Nonfatal drownings can cause brain damage that result in long-term disabilities ranging from memory problems and learning disabilities to the permanent loss of basic functioning.