Daviess Co. YMCA receives grant for lifesaving course equipment

The Daviess County Family YMCA has received a $550 grant from Our Community Foundation through the 2025 Fast Grant Program.

According to the foundation, the grant will be used to purchase YMCA Lifesaving Course Equipment. That equipment includes lifeguard rescue tubes, 10-lb dive bricks, tourniquet arm trainers, and 4-pack female attachments for our CPR manikins.

According to Jessika Henning, YMCA Aquatics Director, “we train up to 60 lifeguards every year, along with up to 45 in-house staff in Adult and Pediatric CPR/AED/First Aid through the American Red Cross. Our lifesaving courses equip area lifeguards, our facility staff, and community members to be ready to act when emergencies arise. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children. Per CDC statistics, drownings in the summer double in the United States. They report there are 4,000 fatal drownings every year, which is roughly 11 drowning deaths per day. Evidence shows that having trained, rescue-ready lifeguards lowers those numbers drastically, as well as assisting in injury prevention. We, as an institution whose mission focuses on the well-being of all ages, strive to be a part of decreasing the drowning statistics in our county and beyond. With the only indoor pool in our area, we are able to offer courses year-round and plan to continue to expand our training offerings, including more lifeguard and CPR/AED/First Aid courses for the public.”

Travis Schaffer, President of Our Community Foundation Board, explains that these grants provide one-time assistance to charitable organizations for small-scale, unplanned projects, help the organization meet an unanticipated need or opportunity, or support new and innovative projects that positively impact the lives of people living in Daviess County. “We are grateful to our many donors who make it possible for us to offer these grants to worthwhile non-profit organizations in our community.”

The mission of the Daviess County Family YMCA is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. For more information, you can visit this link.