Imagine living on an island and not knowing how to swim? That’s an uncomfortable reality for many people on Nantucket. But that’s where Jim Meehan comes in. Nearly 10 years ago, Meehan volunteered to start the Nantucket Community School’s “learn to swim” program for adults. He and a group of volunteers since taught more than 250 island residents how to swim at the Nantucket community pool.
“It’s a joyous process,” Meehan told the Current. “We have a lot of fun.”
Many of his adult students are mothers who are often at the beach with their kids and worried about what they would do if something happened in the water. Many others are immigrants from countries where they haven’t had the opportunity to swim regularly. Swimmers are paired with committed volunteers over about a month, with two sessions in the spring, and one in the fall.
Read the full article at Nantucket Current
Photo by Charity Grace Mofsen Courtesy Nantucket Current
