Tinker to host water safety camp for second year Published July 17, 2015 By Tinker Youth Center TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- In continuation of a national partnership dedicated to bringing water safety education to the communities that need it most, national water-safety organization The ZAC Foundation has selected Tinker Air Force Base to host its ZAC Camp for a second year through its grant program. Last year, the local ZAC Camp taught more than 100 kids the importance of water safety through swimming classes, classroom curriculum and various hands-on activities. The Tinker Air Force Base ZAC Camp -- named in honor of 6-year-old Zachary Archer Cohn who drowned as a result of being entrapped in the suction of a swimming pool drain -- is part of year three of a national partnership initiative undertaken by The ZAC Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of America to bring lifesaving water-safety skills to thousands of club members (aged 5 to 9) across the country. Tinker was selected through a rigorous application process and chosen based on its commitment to advancing water safety locally and the success the program achieved in 2014. "Zachary's legacy lives on in each and every Boys & Girls Club member who graduates from ZAC Camp," said Karen Cohn, co-founder of The ZAC Foundation. "We are excited to be back in Oklahoma City to bring our message of water safety to a new batch of campers and their families at the Tinker Youth Center. The ZAC Camp program combines in-pool swimming lessons, safety classes with first responders and classroom curriculum based on tenets of water safety taught in a children's book co-authored by Zachary's parents -- The Polar Bear Who Couldn't, Wouldn't Swim. By week's end campers are equipped with critical tools to ensure safe swimming, including fundamental stroke training, emergency preparedness and response, and basic lifesaving techniques. The ZAC Foundation will also donate a copy of the book to each camper, allowing campers to spread the messages to friends and family. The 2015 Oklahoma City ZAC Camp will host campers July 20-24 from 9 a.m. to noon. Open to campers, family and friends, camp will conclude with a special award ceremony that will take place at 9 a.m. July 24 with special guests. "Our kids are still talking about how much fun they had at ZAC Camp last summer," said Mindy Whittington, Tinker Youth Center director. "While the camps are fun for campers, they are leaving with valuable lessons that we see in their changes in behavior and we know the impact ZAC Camps had. That's priceless. We are thrilled for the opportunity to build upon that success and will challenge ourselves to make the program even more successful in 2015." According to the Centers for Disease Control, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause in children 5 to 14. Risk of drowning is highest in minority populations with the fatal drowning rate almost three times that of Caucasian children. In Oklahoma alone, drowning claimed the lives of 16 children last year. Many of these deaths are preventable if proper water safety measures are taken. ZAC Camps aim to reduce these statistics through community engagement and education. For more information, contact the Tinker Youth Center at 734-7866.