Time to be part of the World's largest swim lesson

Aquatic facilities around the world still have the chance to participate in this year's World's Largest Swimming Lesson (WLSL) event.

The simultaneous global event, which aims to help raise awareness of the importance of teaching children to swim and reduce drownings (the world's second leading cause of accidental death among children aged one to 14), will be taking place at 7pm on Thursday 14th June in aquatic facilities in 14 countries on five continents.

Last year WLSL featured more than 20,000 participants leading organisers to believe that the 2012 will set a new Guinness World Record.

In 2011, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon waterpark near Orlando served as the official headquarters for the international event for the second year and set an individual Guinness World Record for the largest swimming lesson ever held at one location with 611 participants.

Olympic Gold Medalists and official WLSL spokespeople, Rowdy Gaines and Janet Evans, championed the event to help convey that loss of life from drowning can be prevented through awareness and training. As parents, both athletes feel a strong commitment to teaching children how to be safe in and around the water.

Gaines explained "we're very excited to see such terrific growth ... the huge jump in numbers demonstrates the strength of the program and its message."

Evans adds "it is so important to draw attention to this issue. The World's Largest

Swimming Lesson is a perfect way to bring the Swimming Lessons Save Lives message to life for kids and parents."

To be part of the event, facilities need only:

• Register online and submit your release form
• Download the event materials from the website
• Host a 45 minute WLSL lesson at your facility on Thursday 14th June
• Use a certified swimming instructor to teach the lesson to a least 25 participants
• Submit your log sheets and two witness statements

The World's Largest Swimming Lesson was created as a platform to help aquatic facilities and the many different regional, national and international water safety and drowning prevention organisations work together to communicate the fundamental importance of teaching children to swim.

For additional information contact Beth Root on email: bethr@worldslargestswimminglesson.org, www.wlsl.org

19th May 2011 - BE PART OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST SWIMMING LESSON