Save A Life Teach A Kid

For over 30 years the swimming pool industry has supported me and my family, so in 2006 I decided to give back. Being elected as secretary for the Dallas chapter of IPSSA (the Independent Pool and Spa Service Association), allowed me to set my sites on swimming pool safety. All of the coalitions I talked to were promoting literature, such as posters and bumper stickers. Sure they were promoting securely closed gates, proper drain covers, and pool supervision but I felt this wasn’t enough. There are still kids drowning, in swimming pools everyday.

These pools have locked gates, alarms on all the doors, proper surrounding fence heights, float rings hanging on every wall and we still see these tragic incidents. Literally every precautionary measure you can imagine, and these kids were still drowning. I decided to take a different approach, teaching these kids how to swim. So early in 2006 I came up with the Save a Life Teach a Kid to Swim program.

We would raise money for the Dallas Red Cross so they could pick underprivileged kids and send them to swim camp. Being taught the fundamentals of swimming and pool safety while responsibly enjoying the water. From 2006 to 2007 we ran this at a local level through the IPSSA Dallas chapter having barbecues, auctions, and other fund raising events.

In 2007, after being elected President of the IPSSA Dallas chapter and Secretary of the Region 9 executive board, I had the opportunity to take this program to every other IPSSA chapter across Texas. In 2008, IPSSA Region 9 approved the motion to have the mission statement and focus of the year changed in regards to the safety program we started here in Dallas. The Save a Life Teach a Kid to Swim program was spread across Texas. From the time it began up until today we have raised over $6,000. After turning it over to the Dallas Red Cross this meant that over 300 kids were sent to swim camp.