Gordonsville Learn to Swim

The Town of Gordonsville supports full and partial scholarships for their Learn to Swim programs during the summer. The Ben Hair Just Swim for Life Foundation (BH-JSL) will provide matching volunteer support and a monetary donation to support this program. Volunteer support entails providing Water Safety Instructors and Instructor aides for this program at no cost. The program will be based on the successful program that was run over the past two summers.

During the summer of 2012, the town of Gordonsville provided American Red Cross Learn to Swim programs through Dix Memorial Pool. Scholarships were available based on monthly income guidelines. Registration packets were distributed at local elementary and middle schools in Orange and Louisa Counties. Classes include 8 lessons per child over a two-week period. 45 minute lessons are offered for ARC Level 1-3 swimmers and 30 minute lessons are offered for Preschool levels.

A child will be deemed to be ‘water safe’ when they were able to swim 25 yards on the front and the back, which roughly corresponds to level 3 of the American Red Cross curriculum. With a total $5,000 grant from Make a Splash and the BH-JSL, we can train at least 150 full scholarship swimmers how to swim over the course of the summer. Through the increase in number of volunteer water safety instructors provided by BH-JSL and its collaboration with the Jefferson Swim League, this program will be sustainable into the future. We are committed to serving our community and opening our pool to this important task of “waterproofing” our community.