The Y has held Everyone Swims since 2018, with a hiatus in 2020.

“The goal of our program is to get all kids in Warren County to swim one length of the pool,” Aquatics Director Dani Mumford said. “Since we have rivers and the reservoir nearby, we want to make sure everyone is safe in the water.”

“With the program, we also teach boating safety and life jacket safety and what to do if they’re in a situation where they need to use those skills,” Mumford said.

There is no membership requirement for youth 10 and under to participate. “Sign up at the front desk,” she said.

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Warren County YMCA Everybody Swims! graduate Lucas Bosko uses the skills he learned in the program at the YMCA pool.

Over the past summer, about 200 young people participated in the program.

The program runs for 10 weeks during the summer. Participants sign up for two weeks, 30 minutes per day.

Regardless of their abilities at the beginning of the program, each participant must be able to swim one length of the pool in order to graduate.

Some finished in two weeks. If they don’t graduate in two weeks, they can sign on for more. According to Mumford, it takes more than one session for most participants.

Everyone Swims is held in the summer as that is when more county residents are in and around the water.

The program was held at the Y pool in 2021, but has utilized the City of Warren Pool in the past.

Organizers would like to use both facilities.

“We hope with more volunteers we can do both indoor and outdoor,” Mumford said.

This year, program instructors Samantha Caudill, Katie Krogler, James Simpson, and Rebecca Jaynes were joined by volunteers Brady Caudill, Addison Blair, Emma Peterson, Jennifer Giger, Joseph Blasco, and Kellie Blasco.

Those instructors and volunteers were recognized Thursday for their efforts.

The volunteers, most of whom were members of the Dolphin Swim Team, may use that experience in applications for the Gold Bee Award at Beaty-Warren Middle School, Mumford said.

Anyone who would like to help with the program may contact Mumford at dani@warrenymca.org.

For those who are interested in learning to swim, but are not under 10, the Y holds regular swim lessons throughout the year at membership and non-membership rates, Mumford said.