YMCA Lifeguard and swim instructor Maranda Bowers leads the swimming lessons before the Noon summer lunch program begins.
by KP Intern Kyle Predmore
The local YMCA in Kittanning is offering a summer lunch program for anyone under the age of 18 to come in for a free meal and an hour of open swim in the pool afterwards.
“We are a hub for the Community Food Program for kids under the age of 18 to come and receive free lunches,” Program Director of Aquatics Mary Ann Lundgren said. “We wanted to offer something more, so after they have their food program from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., they are permitted to come in for an hour to swim free of charge and utilize our pool and get some play time.”
Trista Painter, from Kittanning, along with her two kids Lillyauna and Joey enjoy their lunch at the Richard G. Snyder YMCA Campus.
Kittanning Resident Trista Painter was there with her two kids Lillyauna and Joey. Both the kids said they love coming to the Y to swim.
“It’s nice because it gives them something to do over the summer,” Painter said. “They love to swim. they are very active and love to be able to swim after lunch as well.”
Painter also added that her kids partake in the swimming lessons at the Y.
“We wanted to offer these kids swim lesson because a lot of these kids don’t have the opportunity to do so,” Lundgren said. “I’ve noticed after I looked at what different places that offer the Summer Food Program, they don’t offer quite what we offer like the hour of swim after the meals. We want to get the kids motivated and moving. The kids love it. We want every kid in Armstrong County to learn how to swim to learn how to be safe around water.”
All of these services are free of charge and ask individual individuals sign up at the welcome center.
“We ask that you sign up for the swim lessons because we need to make sure we have the right amount of instructors for the amount of kids we have signed up,” Lundgren said. “As far as the food program, they do not need to sign up for that.”
“We also have the healthy living initiative, LIVESTRONG program, diabetes prevention program, and more to come,” Lundgren said. “There are a lot of other healthy initiatives we want to roll out. We are able to do all of this through our annual campaign which runs from October through the end of November.”
For anyone interested in the signing their kids up for swimming lessons can do so at the Richard G. Snyder YMCA Campus at 1150 North Water St in Kittanning. The swimming lessons are offered from 11:15 A.M. to 11:45 A.M. every Tuesday and Thursday. The food program runs Monday through Friday at 12 p.m.
The summer food program is open to anyone under the age of 18 at the Y. The program runs Monday through Friday at 12 P.M. and at 1 P.M. The kids can enjoy an hour of open swim in the pool.