A $170,000 contribution to the Canadian Red Cross will help support day camps that teach swimming and water safety to Island children, said Minister of Health and Wellness Doug Currie.
“Water safety skills are an important component of a fun, active and safe summer for Island children,” said Minister Currie. “Through this investment, the Province of Prince Edward Island is ensuring that more Island children have affordable access to summer camps and these essential skills.”
Since 1946, more than 37,000 Islanders have participated in the Red Cross camps, which not only teach children how to swim, but also to be safe in or near water; paddle small watercraft such as rowboats, canoes or kayaks; environmental awareness; and other water and boating safety and leadership skills.
The Red Cross Swim program nationally traces its roots to the Prince Edward Island camps which, over the last 67 years, have trained tens of thousands of Island children and youth and correspond with reductions in provincial rates of drowning and water-related injuries, going from the highest to among the lowest in the country.
“The cornerstone of these camps has always been the safety of children and youth,” said Louise Castonguay, Atlantic director general of the Canadian Red Cross. “Through our partnership with the provincial government, we are able to maintain an accessible and low-cost summer day camp program with multiple locations and dates.”
Day camps are taking place across Prince Edward Island this summer. For more information, visit www.redcross.ca/pei.
“The Red Cross is a vital part of our community, whether it is by aiding victims of local disasters such as house fires, by providing life-saving training in CPR, or by teaching our young people important water safety skills,” said Minister Currie. “The Province of Prince Edward Island is pleased to be able to support Canadian Red Cross efforts again this year.”