At Splash Swim School, we know that the ability to swim is a life skill, and believe that all children should have access to swimming lessons. Drowning is preventable, and lack of swimming ability is one of the leading causes of drowning in children and adults, according to the CDC.
Even in supervised pools, a lack of close supervision by parents, grandparents, guardians, and babysitters can lead to fatal or near-fatal drownings for children. Children ages 1-4 have the highest drowning rate, with one in every three accidental deaths being caused by drowning for children in this age group.
That is what happened to 4-year-old Mackenzie Roecker in 2005.
Mackenzie’s story made headlines when she was pulled out of a YMCA pool in Ohio after being underwater for several minutes. She suffered brain damage that permanently affected her physical mobility, impaired her speech, and changed her life forever.
Following the traumatic events that left Mackenzie permanently disabled, her mother Trista “became an advocate for water safety and drowning prevention,” and has since continued to provide drowning prevention education, programs, and services to her community.
Mackenzie’s Mission is the name of the the organization Trista founded in honor of her daughter, an organization which “reaches out to schools, lifeguards, pools, and businesses in the community to promote water safety.”
The annual fundraising event known as Mackenzie’s Pub Putt Putt raises money to provide “a life jacket loaner program at local lake and river spots,” ensuring that local children have access to well-fitting, Coast Guard approved jackets.
Here are some photos from this year’s fundraising event:
Mackenzie’s Mission also provides age-appropriate drowning prevention education for children, teens, and adults.
At Splash Swim School, we are united with Mackenzie’s Mission in our commitment to prevent fatal and nonfatal drownings in our community. Through course offerings in Lifeguarding and CPR, we aim to prepare lifeguards and caregivers to be alert and capable when problems arise.
Splash Swim School is a fun and inviting place for children to learn how to swim; it is also an organization dedicated to reducing the number of unnecessary injuries and deaths in and around the water.
Join Splash Swim School and Mackenzie’s Mission by advocating for and supporting drowning prevention education, programs, and services.
- Understand the risk
- Know what to look for
- Support Mackenzie’s Mission
- Enroll your children in swimming lessons
Northern Colorado is our community; it is where we live, work, play, and raise our families. We’re dedicated to doing our part in keeping this community safe.
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Mackenzie’s Mission is a local 501(c)3 based in Larimer County, CO that aims to prevent childhood drowning through education and awareness. For more information about Mackenzie’s Mission, please go to macksmission.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @macksmission.
Connect with Mackenzie’s Mission:
