Bowling Green State University’s Department of Recreation and Wellness was chosen as one of 85 Make a
Splash programs in the United States to receive grant money from the USA Swimming Foundation in early
2019.
The awarded money will go toward continued efforts to provide free or reduced-cost swim lessons.
The USA Swimming Foundation awarded a total of $507,461 to programs across the country that will provide
swim lessons to an estimated 25,000 children.
“Receiving this grant creates an amazing opportunity to provide swim lessons to over 60 kids who have
never had that opportunity,” said Recreation and Wellness Assistant Director Chris Ballard. “Our program
is about providing lessons, but also about teaching kids to be safe in and around the water, and I’m
excited to impart swimming and safety skills to new swimmers.”
BGSU’s Learn-to-Swim program has been serving the community for 40 years, offering swim lessons for all
people, age six months through adult, and all skill levels, from beginning to advanced, taught by fully
certified American Red Cross water safety instructors. The goal of the program is for participants to
learn the fundamentals of swimming, the importance of safety and develop a love and passion for the
water.
The USA Swimming Foundation vetted 241 applications through a competitive annual review process and chose
85 Make a Splash local partner programs to receive funding, 26 of which are first-time USA Swimming
Foundation grant recipients.
“It’s an incredible feeling to know that USA Swimming Foundation funding will be used to create a
valuable swimming experience for tens of thousands of children who may not have had the opportunity to
learn how to swim,” said USA Swimming Foundation Executive Director Debbie Hesse. “We are thrilled with
the depth of this year’s Make a Splash local partner applicant pool and we couldn’t be prouder to
support these exciting and lifesaving opportunities for children across the country. We owe a tremendous
thank you to our partners and donors, who continue to make a difference.”
The USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash initiative is a national child-focused water safety campaign,
which aims to provide the opportunity for every child in America to learn to swim.
Through Make a Splash, the USA Swimming Foundation partners with learn-to-swim providers and water safety
advocates across the country to provide swimming lessons and educate children and their families on the
importance of learning how to swim.
The USA Swimming Foundation has invested millions of dollars to provide grants to qualified Make a Splash
local partner learn-to-swim programs, to spread national awareness and to bring together strategic
partners to end drowning.
To date, 7.5 million children have received the lifesaving gift of swim lessons through the USA Swimming
Foundation Make a Splash Local Partner network, comprised of 1,000 qualified lesson providers across the
nation.