Learning to feel comfortable in the water is one of the main focuses of swim lessons offered by Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department. When people feel comfortable in the water they are more likely to remain calm and be able to save themselves and others if a situation arises. Pictured in front is Gavin Ragan. In the middle, from left, are Baylee Wieringa; Savannah Taylor, instructor; and Delainey Kellar. In back are Talen Chivington; Ellie Thomas; Remington Kellar; Graham Ousley, instructor; Ellie Nieveen, instructor; and Paislee Wieringa, climbing the ladder.

WARSAW — Summer in Kosciusko County usually means residents and visitors flocking to one of the many beaches. When it comes to fun in the sun one of most important topics for Sheila Wieringa, Warsaw Parks Department recreation director, is water safety.

A plethora of water-related activities are available to those visiting Warsaw including swimming, paddle boarding and canoeing. These activities are also offered for free on certain days and lifeguards are always willing to offer advice or suggestions to keep everyone safe. For individuals who prefer to have a lesson before venturing out into the water, paddle boarding lessons and free swim lessons are offered at Center Lake throughout the summer.

Ramie Perry is in her second year of acting as the direct supervisor of the lifeguards over both Center Lake and Pike Lake. Each lifeguard on duty undergoes both waterfront and lifeguard certification every two years along with basic first aid and CPR training. The Warsaw Parks and Recreation instructor, Ellie Nieveen, is also water safety certified while the other lifeguards who help instruct in lessons are certified through the YMCA.

Paddle boarding lessons include learning how to turn the board, not fall off the board, hold the paddle, since according to Perry it can feel backwards for many first-timers, and different ways to use the boards including sitting and standing.

Lifeguards will use various flotation devices to help the children kick and get their face in the water. The participants also learn to float on their back and basic swim strokes. Pictured in front, from left, are Baylee Wieringa, Gavin Ragan and Savannah Taylor. In back are Graham Ousley, Ellie Thomas and Talen Chivington.

While swim lessons are available for all ages, it tends to attract children 12 years of age and younger. Each swim lesson session includes 10 lessons, every day Monday through Friday for two weeks. Participants are broken up based on age and skill level and learn a safety topic each day along with the rules of the beach and pier.

These swim lessons have always been very popular, particularly in July when the weather starts to get hotter. For as long as Wieringa can remember, the swim lessons have also remained completely free.

According to Perry, these lessons are a starting point and their main focus is simply helping people to “feel comfortable and confident in the water.” This normally means learning to get their face wet, kicking and keeping their fingers together, simple front and back floats and when to attempt to reach something in the water or throw something instead of going into the water.

During normal swim hours, safety breaks are typically performed each hour so that parents and children can meet up and make sure everyone is accounted for and unharmed. Lifeguards also take this time to check the water which can be particularly important with increasing numbers visiting the beaches.

Swim lessons at Center Lake are for all ages and skill levels, even as young as two-years-old. Pictured is Ellie Nieveen, left, helping Paislee Wieringa get comfortable in the water with having her face in the water by blowing bubbles.

In her five years of being a lifeguard, Perry continues to stress the importance of safety even just in a visit to the beach. Lessons can be important in helping people to be more aware of the risks that will allow them to prevent themselves and others from harm. When people come to the beach, they simply come to have fun and aren’t always mindful of all the risks and dangers.

For example, Perry believes that one thing most people don’t consider is how quickly the water can get deeper and how easy it is for anyone, especially a child, to bob out into water in which they suddenly can’t reach the bottom. Learning safety and proper swimming techniques make people more likely to stay calm and not panic so they are able to rescue themselves.

Normally each lifeguard will have around five to six saves each summer, states Perry, and the majority of these tend to be a “distressed swimmer” and children who float out too far or jump off the pier and realize they can’t reach. Perry believes water safety is especially important in Kosciusko County “with so many lakes, streams and ponds where people could get injured.”

Pre-registration is required for lessons. For more information on lake events or any Warsaw Parks and Recreation activities visit warsaw.in.gov/index.aspx?nid=192.