On June 25, the Bloomington-Normal YMCA and the city of Bloomington’s Parks & Rec Department will host a community swim lesson at O’Neil Aquatics Center as part of the “World’s Largest Swimming Lesson,” aimed at helping prevent drowning ahead of the July 4th w
At 11:30 a.m. on June 25, children in Bloomington will step into the water for a lesson designed for one purpose: preventing drowning.
The Bloomington-Normal YMCA is partnering with the city of Bloomington’s Parks & Rec Department to participate in the “World’s Largest Swimming Lesson. ” a global swimming challenge that will run from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the O’Neil Aquatics Center. Cody Demas. the aquatic/youth sport program manager with the Bloomington Parks & Recreation Department. said children in Bloomington will join others across six continents.
The program is built around an urgency Demas framed in blunt terms. He pointed to the American Academy of Pediatrics reporting drowning as the leading cause of death for children aged 1–4 and the second-highest cause of death for children aged 5–14.
“Bloomington Parks & Rec and the Bloomington-Normal YMCA, and members of the McLean County Water Coalition are joining the fight,” Demas said. “Swimming skills are more than recreation—they’re protection.”
Tim Ready, the Bloomington-Normal YMCA Senior Aquatics Director, said the timing is deliberate. The lesson is scheduled before the July 4th weekend, a period that typically brings more water-related accidents.
“By timing this event right before July 4th, we’re putting essential knowledge in families’ hands exactly when they’re most at risk,” Ready said.
The schedule matters because it matches the moment families begin looking toward summer water time. June 25 offers a window for skills and awareness before the risk rises around the July 4th weekend—when outdoor activities and water access often increase.
Families interested in participating can secure a spot by registering online.
Bloomington-Normal YMCA Bloomington Parks & Rec O’Neil Aquatics Center World’s Largest Swimming Lesson drowning prevention McLean County Water Coalition July 4th weekend