Earlier this month, the YWCA St. Thomas-Elgin was the recipient of $190,300 in Trillium Foundation funding for its aquatic programming.
The money will be used to support aquatic leadership training and promote water safety over a two-year period.
Kelly Coelho, manager of health and wellness outlines the scope of the program based out of Aylmer.
The YWCA has been providing aquatic programming in the Aylmer area for over 25 years.
Coelho explains the funds will be used in part for its training programs for swim instructors and lifeguards.
The funding will allow the YWCA to continue to foster a culture of water safety in light of an uptick in area drownings, advises Coelho.
The money will also help the YWCA to rebuild aquatic staff and volunteer resources.
Coelho gives a sense of what getting back to pre-pandemic program numbers will entail.
Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Rob Flack visited the Aylmer pool on July 15 to meet with YWCA representatives and hear about the impact of the funding on the aquatic programming.
