Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics Swim Team member Betsey Bennett has always been passionate about swimming. Now a five-year veteran on the team, she’s sharing her love for the sport with the community by spearheading the AGUA Swim Team volunteer program.
As AGUA ambassador of volunteering, Betsey, 14, is recruiting volunteers on Saturdays to assist Asphalt Green’s Waterproofing instructors. Volunteers help provide free swim lessons for children in second through sixth grades who are residents of Stanley Isaacs Houses.
“Asphalt Green is somewhere I spend so much time, and I want to be able to give back to [its] community,” Betsey says. “Swimming is not only really fun, but it’s also a really important lifelong skill.”
Drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional, injury-related death in children ages 1 to 14. Waterproofing helps prevent this tragedy.
Betsey believes the benefits of swimming go beyond the pool. Being a part of the AGUA Swim Team has taught her time management skills, the true meaning of team, and how to be competitive. It’s also a stress reliever, particularly after a long school day.
“Sports and fitness are really important. It’s a whole other world you can escape to,” Betsey says. “[Being in the pool] is very freeing. [After swimming], I feel calmer and more relaxed.”
Betsey’s goal is to give underserved children the opportunity to experience the joy of swimming. Overall, the response has been positive from her teammates. Many have jumped at the opportunity to volunteer.
“If you give your time once or twice a month, you can make so much of an impact on other people’s lives,” Betsey says.
Want to get involved? Learn how you can give back here.