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On July 1, 2010 the Rotary Club of Webster Groves - with the help of five major sponsors, including Sant Automotive, Total Access Urgent Care, Schaefer Autobody, The Hub Bicycle Shop, and Commerce Bank - conducted the first annual Rotary Duck Races at the Webster Groves Aquatic Center, which raised more than $5,000 for an anti-drowning swimming program. In the photo with some of the kids the first class is Rotarian Brian Corrigan (left) and Dick Sant (center).

With these funds, this Rotary Club has launched the first annual "Rotary Water Safety Program", a swimming lesson and water safety program targeting children and at-risk swimmers in the St. Louis area. The swimming lessons are being conducted by the Webster Groves Parks and Recreation Department, and the program's participants have been recruited by Webster-Rock Hill Ministries. The actual swimming program began on Monday, August 2 and ran through August 15, 2010, and this first year of lessons have been filled to capacity with swimmers.

The idea for conducting a water safety program for at-risk kids came when Webster Groves Rotary President Dick Sant saw a story on HBO's "Real Sports" program about the USA Swimming Program called "Make a Splash", which has the goal of teaching kids to swim.

According to a 2008 study commissioned by USA Swimming, at-risk children's swimming proficiency is about half that of the general population, and they are more than three times likely to be involved in drowning accidents.

The Rotary Club of Webster Groves' "Rotary Water Safety" program is pertinent because of the numerous recent news stories of accidental drownings, many of these among children. Because of these recent tragedies, and the high number of at-risk swimmers in the St. Louis area, the Rotary Club of Webster Groves decided to take action and conduct this water safety program that directly benefits kids.

"The Rotary Club of Webster Groves is extremely proud to have started this program, and we look forward to expanding it for years to come. The Rotary Water Safety Program is a perfect example of the type of work that Rotary Clubs do to help build local communities," notes Rotary Club President Dick Sant.

To learn more about the Rotary Water Safety Program, please contact Dick Sant of the  Rotary Club of Webster Groves at (314) 800-8619 or Webster Groves Director of Parks and Recreation, Mike Opperman, at (314) 963-5634.