April has been designated Adult Learn to Swim Month by U.S. Masters Swimming, and the Door County YMCA is encouraging area residents to take the plunge toward water safety.

Roughly 25% of adults in the United States cannot swim the length of a pool, which places them at increased risk in emergencies. Drowning remains a leading cause of accidental death, with an estimated 10 people nationwide dying from drowning each year.

In response, the YMCA will offer Adult Learn to Swim lessons for ages 13 and older who are just beginning their swimming journey. The program will be held in the Peterson Aquatic Center recreation pool at the Sturgeon Bay Campus YMCA and will use a variety of instructional tools designed to help participants build comfort, confidence and basic swim skills.

Classes will be held Tuesdays from 6 to 6:45 p.m., running April 21 through May 26.

Sturgeon Bay YMCA campus aquatics director Heidi Honold said the goal is to make the classes welcoming and well attended.

“We’d love to have a nice full group of people attend and sign up to fill these classes,” Honold said.

Honold emphasized the importance of swim safety in a region surrounded by water, noting that learning to swim can have life-saving implications not only for individuals, but for entire families.

“Chances are that if the adults in the house can’t swim, their family members, children or grandchildren won’t be able to either,” she said.

Registration for the spring session opens at 5 a.m. Monday, April 13 for YMCA members and at 5 a.m. Wednesday, April 15 for community non-members. Early sign-up is highly recommended due to limited space and growing community interest in adult swim instruction.

For more information, please visit the Door County YMCA website.