Swimming lessons offered

By Susan Brittingham
Features Editor

Fri, May 16 2008

— Swimming lessons are for people of all ages, not just children newly exposed to water.
“We’ll take them from 6 months to 101,” Dennis Elrod, swimming instructor for the Southeast Oklahoma Chapter of the American Red Cross, said. “It’s really important that everyone learns how to swim.”
Sign-ups are today at the Red Cross office in the Old McAlester High School, Second and Adams, from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m.; Wednesday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. and May 15 from 8 a.m. until noon.
Session dates are June 9-19, June 23-July 3 and July 7-17.
“We have classes throughout the morning and we expect about 300 people,” Elrod said.
Classes are held at 8 a.m, 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Also, evening classes are available at 7 and 8.
The cost is $25 for those who want to learn how to swim, and $55 for guard start classes, which are three hours long.
But is it really easy for adults to learn to swim? “A lot of times adults don’t know how to swim because they’ve had a trauma associated with the water,” Elrod said. “It can be really tough for them.
“I can feel their fear, so we go slow. We don’t force anybody and we don’t try to scare anybody.”
Elrod said adult classes will be held if enough adults express an interest. Otherwise, it will be all children.
Why is it so important for a child to learn to swim? “A lot of times a child won’t make a sound when they’re drowning,” Elrod said. “They just go under.
“That’s why everybody over the age of 6 months needs to know how to swim.”
For more information call the Red Cross office at 423-0481 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. That number is used for emergencies after 3 p.m. Anyone with questions after 3 p.m. can call Elrod at 423-6158.
Contact Susan Brittingham at 421-2029 or e-mail sbrittingham@mcalesternews.com.