TUESDAYS FOR HOPE - with NEW DIRECTIONS

CEO KATHY JENKINS BRINGS YMCA AQUATICS DIRECTOR MICHELLE KRENZER TO TALK ABOUT WATER AND SWIM SAFETY OFFERINGS… AND THE BIG DUCK!

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:11

I think she does too. It's just she wants you to go it alone.

SPEAKER_01 0:15

I know. Well, it's it was a scheduled day off.

SPEAKER_02 0:18

You used to always say this you didn't like this.

SPEAKER_01 0:21

Only because it scared me. Because I never wanted to mess up. I want to do a good job by you. And it's like, you know, I got I you intimidated me. But I'm laid back. Oh, I know. It's not it's not you and how you treated me. It was just the idea of it was so intimidating because I just I didn't want to mess it up.

SPEAKER_02 0:38

You know, there are certain people over the years, and I don't I don't tend to get too intimidated, but there are some people that always intimidate me. Just being in their presence. And it's so it's so weird, and you can't quite figure out why.

SPEAKER_01 0:56

Yeah, and that's kind of how it was with you. So I just didn't want to mess up and then have you look at me going, well, that guy's an idiot. You know what I mean? I mean, you may think that anyway, but at least not too hard.

SPEAKER_02 1:06

Of course I don't.

SPEAKER_01 1:07

Kathy Jenkins, CEO of New Directions, Tuesdays for Hope is what we're doing. You always bring in a great guest. So today we're gonna talk with your guest, and we're gonna talk about Big Rubber Duck. So I'll let you know. I know, dude. Isn't that exciting? And my daughter's very excited about it. She's been talking about it for a while. Saw it something I think on TV, maybe. It might have been a news thing. But anyway, go ahead. So who do we got today?

SPEAKER_02 1:29

So today I have brought Michelle Crinzer. She is the Association Director of Aquatics for the YMCA. So she covers all the uh YMCAs in the area. And um she's gonna talk about a lot about their summer swim program. Okay, and you know, this is how many years, Michelle? Is this the third year? Second year. Second year. But it is amazing what they are trying to do in this community and so well needed. Michelle, you want to talk a little bit about? We'll talk a little bit about who you are, how long you've been with the Y, and um, and then tell us about the Summer Swim Program and of course the Big Duck.

SPEAKER_01 2:15

The Big Duck. You have to tell me the ages too, but go ahead. Tell us uh who you are and what you're doing.

SPEAKER_00 2:20

So I'm Michelle. I work with the YMCA of Coastal Carolina. We cover um Ory County, Georgetown County, and Williamsburg County, and I oversee all the aquatics, the pools um throughout all three counties. Um we have three main branches. We have two portable pools that we were um piloted last summer. We just got a second one that go out to the communities of Georgetown and Williamsburg County. So we take our swim safety program, safety around water, out to the community to those who can't otherwise afford it or come to the water.

SPEAKER_01 2:54

Nice. Now, what are the age groups when you uh are you teaching children to swim or explain exactly what it is that you're doing? Is it just a safety thing, just so I can get it?

SPEAKER_00 3:03

It's all the above. So we do run swim lesson programs from six months all the way through adults where we teach you how to swim and all that good stuff. We also do what's called a safety around water program, and that teaches you the very basics of a swim-float swim. So how to swim, how to float onto your back to rest, flip back over and swim so that you can get yourself to safety, um, how to um jump, push, turn, grab. So if you fall in, you know that you can push off the bottom, turn around, grab the wall, grab whatever it is you need to. And we also teach basic um survival skills. Uh reach and throw don't go. We make sure the kids know that they are never to jump in after somebody. You always want to lay down your belly, reach something out, throw something out to somebody um to help them, but not to ever jump in. Um, we go through a rip current training with them. We have a simulator that we put in the pool and it teaches the kids um they get an idea of what a rip current feels like and then how to get out of it if they get caught in one, how to float it, not fight it. Um, we go through CPR with them, they do boating safety, all kinds of different things like that with our safety around water program.

SPEAKER_02 4:09

When I was a kid I think it is so cool that they do the rip current simulation because you know how many people even adults who get caught in rip currents and have no earthly idea what to do. I didn't until I moved here.

SPEAKER_01 4:24

Yeah, well that's true. Me as well. I mean, coming from Wisconsin, yes, have rip currents. We had plenty of water, so we knew all knew how to swim pretty early, but rip currents, that was a new thing. Yeah, yeah. The question I have for you is when I was young, speaking of, and I mean infant-like, mom got involved in a program at the Y back at home, and it was you basically they took newborns and they threw them in the pool and they could swim automatically on their own. Do you remember that?

SPEAKER_00 4:50

I do. We don't do that. We knew it wasn't water acclimation. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

No, I thought my mom was kidding. No, we threw you in the pool and you just started swimming automatically. It's like, what are you talking about?

SPEAKER_00 5:01

Yes, I was three and got thrown in a life jacket off the end of a dock until Late Norman said, figure it out.

SPEAKER_01 5:08

But now it's a more controlled approach. But you do, and you said starting at six months.

SPEAKER_00 5:12

We start them at six months. We do what's called water acclimation. So um, adult, infant, child gets in the water. We teach them the basics. We do a lot of songs, games, teach them how to kick, pull, blow bubbles, that sort of thing.

SPEAKER_01 5:26

Now, are the parents involved in that like particular instruction so they can learn with the child?

SPEAKER_00 5:30

Yep, so the parent gets in the water with the child during those classes.

SPEAKER_01 5:33

Oh, that's awesome. But where do people find out about that information?

SPEAKER_00 5:36

On our website, Costa Carolina YMCA.org.

SPEAKER_01 5:39

Pretty easy then.

SPEAKER_00 5:40

Yes, super easy.

SPEAKER_01 5:42

All right, so tell us now. This is my I I s I don't know where my daughter saw it from. I is it has it been has there been like a news story or a TV commercial, maybe?

SPEAKER_00 5:50

There's been all kinds of news stories. It's been all over social media, everywhere you look about Mama Duck. Lovely call her.

SPEAKER_01 5:58

Okay. The big giant duck is the big giant duck. So tell me about it.

SPEAKER_00 6:02

She is six stories high. Um, she is coming out, making her second appearance this year on Friday and Saturday. She will be at Burroughs and Chapin's Pavilion Park down there. Um, we are partnering with SOS Weekend, so there's plenty of activities, things going on all down the boardwalk. Um, she is six stories tall. We inflate her and we use her as our launch into Water Safety Awareness Month, which is um the month of May.

SPEAKER_01 6:30

Okay. So get and anybody can come out and take a look, get pictures taken, all that you need a anybody can come on out.

SPEAKER_00 6:35

Anybody in the community. Yep. She will be inflated from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Friday and Saturday. And on Saturday, we will have all kinds of kids' activities going on from 10 to 2.

SPEAKER_01 6:46

Okay. So and you'll have all the information, everything that you have available, the different programs, all that'll be easily accessible and for the parents to take a look at too.

SPEAKER_00 6:55

Absolutely. We'll have all that out there. Like I said, we got all kinds of kids' activities from just some Healthy Kids Day stuff to some water safety games and stuff. We'll play with the kids. There'll be all kinds of literature. Um, we have representatives from the Y out there. Um, all of our partners from Ripley's Aquarium, Black's Tires, they will all be out there in the City Merle Beach Chamber. Everybody will be out there for a grand old time.

SPEAKER_01 7:19

Okay, excellent. And you two hooked up for this particular reason. Good for the community, right? New directions.

SPEAKER_02 7:24

Oh, I mean, it's great for the community, and we always offer it to our um children who are at the shelter. So tie in. For the children who are at the shelter. Okay. Um the downside for us is so many of our parents do not have transportation. Um, so so that is one of those barriers that's sometimes hard to overcome. And um, you know, I've had Hatton gravelly on a number of times from the Y, and we have we have tried many times to um incorporate our kids into their programs, but not that many of them can participate just because of the transportation issue. But we can get some of them out there.

SPEAKER_01 8:05

Some was better than none. Can you give me those the location again with the duck? Because I'm gonna write this down to make sure I give it to my wife because you're asking. Oh, I'll be there. I'll be there. Oh, I'll br we'll bring both kids, even though the little one can't really do a lot yet.

SPEAKER_00 8:17

Oh, she'll enjoy it. It is at Burrow Chapin's Pavilion Park.

SPEAKER_01 8:21

Okay. Got it. See, this is great. All right, and the dates again, Roman?

SPEAKER_02 8:26

You'll be able to see the big duck from just about anywhere.

SPEAKER_01 8:31

I guess, yeah. Well, I mean, as long as I'm pointed in the right direction, which you gave me, that's great. And the dates again on this?

SPEAKER_00 8:36

It is this Friday and this Saturday, May 1st and 2nd.

SPEAKER_01 8:40

First and second. All right. Well, I know what we're doing then. We're going to see the duck.

SPEAKER_02 8:45

Give you something to really look forward to. We used to always look for things when our kids were little. Um, any kind of festival, we were always there. And and for it to be as beneficial to the community and the community of children as this particular program is, I mean, all the better. All the better. Because it really gets the kids excited, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_00 9:05

It does. And we are trying to um not only get the kids but the parents involved and learn about water safety and what as a parent you can do to help your child stay safe around the waters. We have so much water around us. How can you as a parent make sure that your kids are staying safe?

SPEAKER_01 9:20

Absolutely. No, that's a really excellent idea. Uh now, are you currently looking uh uh like any volunteers? Are you interested in getting uh any of those around to help with different events? Or what do you think?

SPEAKER_00 9:31

We are always looking for volunteers at the YMCA.

SPEAKER_01 9:34

That's what I was so clumsily trying to ask. Okay, so how do folks get in touch with you and in for what different areas? I suppose all areas.

SPEAKER_00 9:40

All areas. We're always looking for volunteers not only at the Y but some of our special events, like with Mama Duck. Um, we look for volunteer coaches all the time for our sports programs, soccer or flag football, anything like that. Um big thing is just um reach out to us on a website and contact us.

SPEAKER_01 9:57

Okay, and what's that website again?

SPEAKER_00 9:59

Coastal Carolina YMCA.org.

SPEAKER_01 10:01

There you go. Perfect. Kathy.

SPEAKER_02 10:04

Well, for us, boy, are we busy. You know, the um we were just talking about the fact that the summer months probably through October, where it really tends to get busy, um more people than we can accommodate, you know, schools out and people are trying to get resettled. Um, but we are getting a lot of people into housing, especially families. We've got a great partnership at the Alliance Inn. So we're getting a lot of our families in at the Alliance Inn. It's such a great opportunity for our families because the program there is that it is income-based. So no matter what the income situation is, um they only have to pay a certain amount of their income, and if their income goes down, their rent goes down. After a year, they have all kinds of other options. If they have followed the the rules in the program, um they have other options for other other apartments.

SPEAKER_01 11:10

So it's really nice. Yeah, very cool. Thank you very much for coming in, telling us all about the duck and and the importance of water safety.

SPEAKER_00 11:19

You're welcome. Because you're right.

SPEAKER_01 11:21

We are surrounded by a lot of water. We get a lot of people that are new to the area. We had some individuals. Uh as a matter of fact, Jeremy popped in and said, as a lifeguard, he's lived here his whole life, said it's pretty amazing how how people you know really have no idea about the rip current thing. They don't. Great education for adults and kids.

SPEAKER_00 11:38

Yes. So a lot of times parents don't realize the rip currents and also don't take into a fight that there might be a lifeguard at that pool or on the beach, so I don't need to pay attention. You still do. You still need to put your phones down, your electronics down, and watch our children.

SPEAKER_01 11:53

Absolutely. All right.

SPEAKER_02 11:54

So, Kathy, Michelle, thank you very much. Thank you. I have one more thing. Speaking of lifeguards, yes, ma'am. Four, four of our men who have been hired as lifeguards at Kingston Plantation, and they are thrilled. They are having a wonderful time, they are learning a lot, and great picture on Facebook. Excellent of their story.

SPEAKER_01 12:16

Uh to have Liz show me I don't have Facebook, sorry. I I remember I handle X. Are you guys on X yet, Twitter? Uh very little. Oh. In other words, you have an account, nobody pays attention to it. Uh yeah. I don't like that. All right. That's fine. Thank you, ladies. I appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you, Nick. Yep, we'll talk to you next time. Another great job, Kathy, producing the segment. Um, I'm telling you, we love the good folks at the Y. They do a great job. Excellent.

SPEAKER_00 12:41

We appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01 12:42

We'll probably see you this weekend.

SPEAKER_00 12:44

Wonderful. Come on now.

SPEAKER_01 12:45

All right, sounds good. Liz will be back tomorrow. I'm still here, so we'll put the band back together. Have a great day, everybody.