Lafourche Gazette Original Article Can Be Viewed Here
The Riley John's Blue Boot Foundation recently donated $25,000 to the Bayouland YMCA for its Little Floaters program. This generous contribution is set to significantly impact the lives of children aged 1-4, fostering water safety and drowning prevention in the community.
The Little Floaters program is rapidly gaining popularity and is dedicated to teaching young children essential swimming skills. The program is on the rise, with Angie Falgout, one of the instructors, expressing her excitement about the growth they've experienced. She stated, "We started our second 8-session, 4-week program this past Tuesday, and our number has quadrupled since the first session."
This increase in demand for the program speaks volumes about the necessity for early water safety education. Slots are already filling up for the November session, indicating the program's significance in the community. Parents are encouraged to call and reserve their children's spots to ensure their little ones have the opportunity to learn these crucial skills.
The Riley John's Blue Boot Foundation's mission, encapsulated by its slogan, "Drowning is preventable," is to save lives through water safety education. The Foundation was inspired by a personal tragedy – the accidental drowning of Riley, the child of the Foundation's founders. In the words of Riley's father, "Since Riley's accident, our mission has been to save lives through water safety education. What better way to promote our mission than to partner with the YMCA and teach our toddlers how to float through the Little Floaters program."
The $25,000 donation from the Riley John's Blue Boot Foundation is a vital step towards realizing this mission by providing the necessary funding for the Little Swimmers program. The founders, Nicole and Darby Bourgeois, express their heartfelt joy at seeing their mission continue to unfold and save lives. They emphasize that this endeavor is only possible with continued support by their sponsors and volunteers. In a touching expression of gratitude, they acknowledge, "To say the least, you all are the true heroes. We can't say thank you enough for being a part of the Blue Boot Family."
This partnership between the Riley John's Blue Boot Foundation and the Bayouland YMCA is a shining example of the positive impact that philanthropy and community collaboration can have on a pressing issue like childhood drowning prevention. By providing access to vital swimming lessons for children as young as one year old, they teach water safety skills and instill a lifelong love for swimming. In the process, they are honoring Riley's memory by preventing similar tragedies and ensuring that more children can grow up safe and confident around water.
The generous donation from the Riley John's Blue Boot Foundation is a powerful reminder that acts of kindness can create a ripple effect of change in communities. It's an inspiring testament to parents' determination to turn their grief into a mission to save lives. As the Little Swimmers program continues to expand and create a safer environment for young children, it's clear that the Riley John's Blue Boot Foundation is making a substantial difference in the tri-parish area, one stroke and one little swimmer at a time.
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