Lafourche Gazette Original Article Can Be Viewed Here
Summertime is coming fast, which means that more people will be getting out on the water and enjoying Louisiana’s warm summer air.
The Gazette is proud to announce a partnership with Riley John’s Blue Boot Foundation today which will shine light on locals who are being proactive and learning to swim.
The feature will be called Safe Swimmers, sponsored by Riley John’s Blue Boot Foundation
“To be able to partner with Riley John’s Blue Boot Foundation is a no-brainer because they have done so much good for our community in such a short period of time,” added Gazette Publisher Addy Melancon. “Together, we want to help educate the community toward the importance of water safety and drowning prevention. If we can help save one life, then it’s all worth it, and we want these kids to feel good about themselves and understand that what they are doing is obtaining an important skill.”
The partnership is just one of many ways that Riley John’s Blue Boot Foundation has worked hard to try and keep the community safe since its inception.
Hebert said the foundation has given out more than 1,500 free life jackets in the past 5 years. They also help local children to get free swimming lessons, when needed.
With Safe Swimmers, sponsored by Riley John’s Blue Boot Foundation, we are going to shine a positive light on the locals who take swimming lessons this summer, showcasing them, the things they like and also shedding a little bit more light into their personalities.
To prevent tragedy and allow someone to return to shore safely with their loved ones is a feeling that Hebert said is hard to put into words.
Riley John’s Blue Boot Foundation is in memory of the life of Riley John Bourgeois, the young son of Darby and Nicole Bourgeois who drowned in July 2018.
Since his death, the family created the foundation, a huge community fishing rodeo and has worked tirelessly to try and educate residents on the importance of water safety.
“It is hard to explain how good it feels that our Organization that started off so small with a mission to help save 1 life has grown so big now,” Hebert said. “We have an amazing team that is led by Darby and Nicole. Their courage, vision and faith keep us going for sure.”
To have your child featured, submit the information online by clicking the link.
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