Free swim and water safety clinics will be offered in Yeadon on Saturdays in July and August at the Nile Swim Club on the 500 block of South Union Avenue, writes Katherine Scott for 6abc.com

Certified water safety instructor Terrence Satterfield said, “It’s not that they don’t want to learn the skills, it’s just that a lot of times they don’t have access. It might be a financial reason.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, drowning remains the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths, with children from 1-4 with the highest drowning rates. Drowning rates among African Americans are higher.

The hope is that with additional donations, the two-week clinics, known as “No Child Will Drown in Our Town,” can be scheduled next summer.

The Nile, which opened in the 50s, is the first African-American owned and operated swim club in the nation.

It fell on hard financial times in recent years.

Earlier this year, two Delaware County natives, Sam Patterson and Mike Pearson, helped save the club, pledging $130,0000 to pay off back taxes and improve its facilities.

For more on the clinic, immediate job opportunities, and how to donate, visit: https://www.nileswimclub.org

Read more about the swim program here.

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