Winter weather has arrived in Bulloch County. Daytime temperatures are reaching into the low and mid 50’s, but children and adults alike are taking advantage of the Dome and plunging into the pools at Splash in the Boro for swimming lessons.
    Classes are held three days a week for three weeks during the winter season. During these sessions, instructors teach the children not only technique, but water safety and water fun.

    “Basically, we work with familiarizing children with the water,” said Splash in the Boro’s Krista Campbell. “In the beginning, we teach the parents a lot — water safety, water entry, how to get in and out of the pool, how to have a positive time in the pool.”
    Campbell’s goal is to emphasize the importance of water safety.
    “One of the things that I teach is that it is not necessarily a good idea to help your child out of the water,” Campbell said. She insisted that it is dangerous for children not to know how to remove themselves from the pool.
    “A child may slip into a pool and be able get to the side, but they might not be able to pull themselves out or know to slide down to the ladder — to move to something they can work with.”
    Children are also taught how to hold their breath and told that in an emergency they should always offer assistance from the water’s edge or go for help — never go into the water.
    People of all ages and skill levels come to swim classes at Splash. Some come to hone their skills, Campbell said, and others come to learn.
    “Lessons are available to children from six months to 106 years,” Campbell joked.
    Campbell believes that learning to swim is a very important skill and very beneficial to a healthy lifestyle.
    “Swimming lessons provide a very healthy, no impact exercise,” Campbell explained. “They increase your familiarity with the water ... and it is a great way to build camaraderie.”
    Swimming also provides a very level playing field, Campbell said. “Children, no matter what their size or background, can participate. It is not a high cost exercise. We’ve all got a swimsuit somewhere. And with the Dome it is a year-round activity.”
    Lessons are offered on Monday, Tuesdays and Thursdays at Splash in the Boro, with the infant, toddler and preschool class meeting at 4 p.m.
    To register for the next session of lessons, stop by the Honey Bowen Building on Fair Road. For more information about class times and age groups, visit the SBCPRD Web site at www.bullochrec.com or call (912) 764-5637.

    Katherine Kennedy can be reached at (912) 489-9403.