Photo Credit: Courtesy of Della Lowe, City of St. George (UT), Leisure Services Department, Recreation Division
What happens when you take children with physical and emotional handicaps to a swimming pool? They often become confident and socialized and more able in other areas of their lives. At least that is what happened when the city of Saint George (Utah) Leisure Services Department and the Dixie Elks partnered to form the Flying Fish Swim Team—a program specifically designed for those with special needs. The program, which is held at the Sand Hollow Aquatic Center, launched its eighth season in January, and is designed to help each participant become physically active, build self-confidence and self-esteem, and develop swimming skills for fun and safety. The program has achieved some remarkable results.
“The density of the water, especially for special-needs children, provides a buoyant, supportive environment which takes pressure off the joints,” says Timmy Key, manager of aquatic services for the Leisure Services Department. “When a facility is designed, engineered, and built, it is done around what is the ‘norm.’ We need to focus on planning around the vast majority of users, but then identify how we can accommodate users who are outside that norm. Part of inclusiveness is not excluding people, so we try to include those with challenges—mental or physical or even financial—into our mainstream programs as well when possible.”
Falling Into Place
“Seven years ago, we were looking for a project that we could support for children with disabilities and approached the St. George Recreation Division. We were told that it was looking for activities which could be more inclusive,” says Betty Archambeau, Secretary of the Elks Lodge 1743. “At that same time, I was working with a high school here as youth coordinator on scholarships, and I met Karen Tobler, who was working with special-needs children and was willing to be the swim coach. With an initial grant of $2,000 from the ELKS National Foundation, it all fell into place.”