BULLHEAD CITY — To continue the legacy of 6-year-old Zachary Archer Cohn, who drowned in a drain entrapment in 2007, Connecticut-based water safety organization The ZAC Foundation has teamed up with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colorado River to bring the foundation’s ZAC Camp to more than 100 local 5- to 9-year-olds through its grant program.
The Bullhead City ZAC Camp is part of a national 2-year-old partnership initiative undertaken by The ZAC Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of America to bring lifesaving water-safety skills to thousands of club members across the country. The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colorado River was selected through a rigorous application process and chosen based on its commitment to advancing water safety locally.
“Last year we saw Zachary’s legacy live on in each and every Boys & Girls Club member who went through ZAC Camp,” said Karen Cohn, co-founder of The ZAC Foundation. “We are excited to expand our message to Bullhead City and Laughlin to educate a new batch of campers and their families at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colorado River.”
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 2014 Bullhead City’s ZAC Camp will host campers July 14-17 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Open to campers, family, and friends, the ZAC Camp will conclude with a special awards ceremony that will take place at 2:30 p.m. on July 17 with special guests, including Bullhead City Mayor Jack Hakim.
“It’s an honor to be recognized for our community’s commitment to water safety through this program and we are looking forward to hosting ZAC Camp,” said BGCCR President and CEO Teri Tomlinson. “Being so close to the Colorado River, it’s imperative that we equip our members with the skills they need to always safely enjoy the water around them.”