Dear Friends,

Drowning prevention is one of our top four priority areas in the Y’s Vision 2020 strategic plan for 2014-2016. When it comes to water safety, we’ve stepped up our game this year with additional community outreach efforts and I wanted to take a moment to share some of our new projects with you.

Starting with our “Be Water Smart from the Start” summer partnership with the Tampa Bay Rays… the team, in partnership with United Way Suncoast, Children’s Board of Hillsborough County and Juvenile Welfare Board, is spearheading a generous $100,000 gift to fund several drowning prevention summer initiatives at the Tampa Y, YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg and YMCA of the Suncoast. The gift will also go toward providing more free swim lessons to at-risk children and more swim scholarships to deserving families. Additional in-kind support from the Rays include game, radio and TV public service announcements with Rays second baseman Ben Zobrist; an achievement award for participating kids; and branch visits from the team’s mascot, Raymond. The Y is looking forward to strengthening our partnership with the Rays in the years to come.

Turning our attention now to the South Tampa Family YMCA, whose aquatics director spent two full days teaching water safety and drowning prevention to the entire student bodies at both West Shore and Ballast Point Elementaries. Those schools represent 50% of the public school elementary age children who live in the high-need community south of Gandy Boulevard. We plan to return to the schools every three months to provide refresher courses. I’m told one of the students at Ballast Point previously had a near drowning experience. Aquatics Director Julie Hughes offered to teach that child to swim free of charge. What a remarkable example on how the Y goes above and beyond to ensure not one more child drowns in the local community!

Next, let’s talk about YMCA Camp Cristina, which recently adopted the Bayou Crossing apartment complex in Riverview. The neighborhood has a high percentage of low-income working parents. For the first time this summer, Camp Cristina is donating free weeks at camp including swim instruction to 100 children living at Bayou Crossing. The New Tampa Family Y has a similar partnership with the University Area Community Development Corporation. Twice a week this summer, New Tampa Y instructors are teaching about 50 kids from this vulnerable community how to be safe around the water.

As you can see, all of our branches are working hard to provide more water safety resources and knowledge to their surrounding communities. Together, we are saving lives!

See you at the Y!

Tom Looby
CEO & President
813.224.9622

Tampa Flips for YMCA National Gymnastics Championships

Mostly everyone has heard of the YMCA, but few knew the Y hosts a National Gymnastics Championship each year. But now, ALL of Tampa Bay knows about it. For the first time, the Tampa Y and Sarasota Y teamed up to host one of the largest championships to date with competitors coming from as far away as California and New York.

Pictured above: The Bob Sierra YMCA Top Flight Gymnastics team enjoys getting together at Opening Ceremonies outside Raymond James Stadium.

Beating Summer Learning Loss

Nearly 1,000 more students across the nation now have the opportunity to beat the summer slide. The summer learning loss is the educational ground children could lose during the three-month break from school, particularly when it comes to reading.

Pictured above: L to R: Lourdes Romero, Kiara Mullens, Justice Gennari.