Elementary students enjoy a dip in the pool with family

Thirty-seven years ago Clinton and Betty Richards started a swimming program at the Nashua Elementary.They wanted every child to learn how to swim. Betty had a brother that drowned in the Cedar River when he was young and she didn’t want another child to lose their life because they couldn’t swim.They have a trust set up to ensure that the program continues. It pays for all second grade students to participate in swimming lessons and it pays for all the transportation costs to the YMCA in Charles City.By completing the swimming program the goal is to have students swim across the pool unassisted in water that is above their head.They want students to become comfortable in water. They want students to have the skills that could save themselves if they were ever in a situation where they would need to.The licensed YMCA instructors are Jaime Anderson and Don McInroy. Jaime works with the advanced swimmers and she has been with this program for 12 years.Don works with the beginners. He has been helping with this program for 29 years.Tom Krieger works with the middle group and he has been volunteering for 5 years. This will be Tom’s last year volunteering.The second grade class began lessons last November. They ride a bus to the YMCA each week and the program goes through the first week in April.When the students are not at swimming lessons they participate in regular physical education class at the elementary.   After the lessons have ended, the students and their families get to attend a night of family swim fun at the Y.