Lowell Police Officer Christine Larocque, who is also a certified swimming instructor, shows a boy how to keep his head back while floating during swimming lessons at the Lord Memorial Swimming Pool on Monday. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department)

LOWELL — The Lowell Police Department, Officer Sean A. Collier Memorial Fund, and Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) are pleased to share that they are teaming up to provide free swimming lessons to 75 Lowell youth this week and next.

This is the second year that free swimming lessons have been offered to youth ages 6 to 16 at DCR’s Raymond Lord Memorial Swimming Pool.

The program will run for three sessions a day from Monday, July 17 through July 28. Last year the program served 50 Lowell youth in two sessions of 25 students. This year it will serve 75 Lowell youth in three sessions of 25 students.

Youth will be partnered with volunteer swim instructors, several of whom were contributed by the Collier Fund, and taught to be cautious but comfortable in the water, as well as how to swim, float, and play safely in pools.

The Lowell Recreation Department, which also provides swimming lessons to about 200 Lowell youth, will provide kickboards and guidance to the program.

The Collier Fund pays for the majority of the swimming program in honor of Worcester Police Officer Enmanuel “Manny” Familia, who drowned on June 4, 2021, while trying to save three young children who were struggling in a lake.

Young swimmers smile as they practice kicking their feet in the Raymond Lord Memorial Swimming Pool on Monday. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department)

The partnership is part of DCR’s commitment to enhancing water safety at the state’s pools this summer. DCR is also offering free swimming lessons for kids, through its Learn to Swim program, at 17 agency pools across the state over three two-week sessions, throughout July and August.

“We have experienced two horrible tragedies in this community in the past two years, and we are committed to helping young people in this community learn to swim while also building relationships,” said Superintendent Hudon. “Much like Officer Sean Collier did when he was working for MIT Police, the Lowell Police Department believes firmly in establishing relationships with young people outside of our traditional law enforcement duties, and programs like this are key to our efforts. We are extremely grateful to the Collier Fund for their continuing and growing support.”

“Access to swim lessons is a matter of environmental justice and public health, especially as many of these communities experience higher and higher temperatures caused the climate crisis,” said DCR Commissioner Brian Arrigo. “We are proud to partner with the Lowell Police Department and the Officer Sean A. Collier Memorial Fund for the second year to ensure that more children in the city have the opportunity to learn this important life skill regardless of financial ability.”