Swim Lessons Offered In Honor Of Drowned Stamford Boy

STAMFORD, Conn. — Twelve-year-old Rashad Gross was playing in the water at Cove Island Park when he was pulled under and since he could not swim, he drowned, and now some two months later the Stamford community is looking to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Stamford kids will be learning how to swim for free as part of a program in memory of Rashad Gross, the 12-year-old boy who drowned at Cove Island Park earlier this summer.
Photo Credit: *Anthony Buzzeo*

by Anthony Buzzeo

08/15/2013 4:30 p.m.

Stamford Achieves, Stamford Public Schools, and General Electric have teamed up with several locations in the city to offer free swimming and water safety lessons for kids, ages 6 through 14. The classes will be funded by donors.

The Yerwood Center, 90 Fairfield Ave., will be holding four, one-hour long sessions and Chelsea Piers, 1 Blachely Road, two, one-hour long sessions from Aug. 19 through 23, the release said. The Stamford Y.M.C.A., 909 Washington Blvd., will hold two, one-hour long sessions, from Aug. 19 through 22, with only the morning session on Aug, 22.

Registration forms are available at each location and spaces will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, a news release said. Space is limited to 15 kids per session at the Yerwood Center, 24 kids per session at Chelsea Piers, and 18 per session at the Stamford Y.M.C.A.

To donate to the program you can send checks to Stamford Achieves, 300 Main St., Stamford, CT, 06901. Make checks payable to “Stamford Achieves,” and note Stamford Swims in the memo line.

The Seaside Tavern will also be holding a fund-raiser from 4 to 9 p.m. on Sept. 15 with music and raffles, in order to raise money for the Young Mariners in Rashad’s name.

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