Want your kids to learn how to have fun in the water this summer, but worried that you can’t afford swimming lessons? The Eau Claire YMCA can help. A grant from the Y of the USA will allow the Eau Claire YMCA to offer free swimming lessons to children aged 3-18 who qualify for free and reduced school lunches. The program is part of an effort to teach water safety skills to children from underserved communities. Drowning is the second leading cause of death for children between the ages of 1 and 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and black and Hispanic kids are less likely to know how to swim than their white peers. “Educating children how to be safe around water is just as important as teaching them to look both ways before they cross the street,” says Becky Adamski, aquatics director at the Eau Claire YMCA. “The Y teaches children of all ages and backgrounds that water should be fun, not feared, and this practice not only saves lives it builds confidence.” Funding for as many as 50 scholarships is available. Registration for summer swimming lessons is already open, and classes begin June 13. To find out how you can qualify for financial assistance, contact Adamski at (715) 836-8460 ext. 119 or becky@eauclaireymca.org.