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Karen Fowke, a professional swimming teacher for over a decade and a half and a Shapland Swim School franchisee at the Taigum Swim School, was horrified to find out that over 350,000 Asian children drown each year so she decided to make this holiday a productive one.

Karen is very excited about her trip to East Timor where for two weeks she will give of her time and talents as a swimming instructor. “I think I have the best job in the world” said Karen, “and have been lucky enough to be able to put my passion to work and maybe while I am in Timor I can pass that passion on to someone else.”

Karen’s other interest lies with the Surf Lifesaving Movement. In her role as a volunteer; for over twelve years and currently an active, patrolling member at the Redcliffe Surf Lifesaving Club; Karen has seen the value of being able to swim. “I have always enjoyed the water and I am totally committed to my profession as a swimming teacher and see it as a fulfilling role that may help a child be aware of the water enough to save his or her life or simply give them the skill to be socially confident in different water situations.”

“My children have grown and I now have time to maybe help more children somewhere and I have decided to go on a holiday to East Timor to be a volunteer Swim Teacher for ten days. When I heard that over 300,000 Asian children drown each year I really wanted to do something to help.”

“I am hoping my little bit can help. What an experience it will be for me as I have never been out of Australia before and going to a strange country that is coming back from major civil unrest seemed so exciting. I am hoping to learn from the many experiences the trip will bring and then be able to share those experiences with others.”

One thing Karen has going for her is the effect the water has on the human body is the same the world over and the skills that Karen teaches your children at the Shapland Swim School Taigum apply equally as well no matter what part of the world it is. In fact the bulk of the available water for Karen to ply her skills in; will be the ocean.

Karen leaves Australia on the 20th of May and I for one wish her well as she takes her teaching skills to an area of the world that really has a very high death and near death by drowning rate. I am sure the skills Karen imparts to the children she comes in contact with and the other teachers she works with will all benefit from Karen’s experience and passion. We wish you well.

Chris Shapland.



 

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We live in such a changing society where there are ever increasing demands on our time and resources. If a child has the ability to get back to safety if they fall into a still body of water, it helps take some of the worry away when you are near a pool or a body of water. However, there is no substitute for vigilance no matter how well you can swim.

I remember back in the mid 1960's when, as a family, we would holiday at Burleigh Heads every winter. This particular holiday I met the full time lifeguard at Burleigh, who is now my great friend Len Wood (in 2011 we won the 60-64 years board rescue at the Australian Masters Surf Lifesaving titles held at Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast).

We actually met late one afternoon. I was sitting on the rocks at Burleigh with my Dad and we noticed seven children on surf-o-planes (you could hire them on the beach) were being swept out of the flagged area towards the rocks in front of the Burleigh Baths. I was 18 at the time and was very fit and had recently competed in the National Swimming Trials. As there was no beach inspector in sight Dad suggested I had better strip down to my togs and go out and grab the group. Just as I hit the water Len appeared beside me with a rescue board. By this time the group had split into a group of five and a group of two. Len told me to get the two and he would take care of the other five.

After we got back to the beach Len invited me up to the surf club for a warm shower and as we talked about how irresponsible some parents were when it came to supervising their children at the beach, Len mentioned that he was impressed how fast I was through the water and invited me to come with him and his brother Gordon to Pacific Surf Club where they were members. That was the start of a 48 year association with the Surf Lifesaving Movement and a life long friendship.

Where were the parents of the children who got swept out to sea? They were nowhere in sight. When we got the group back to the beach, the children thought their parents were having a few beers at the Burleigh Hotel.

In contrast my mother, the very next day, chastised me for body surfing with Len right out the back where the waves were breaking on the outside bank at Burleigh. Mum knew no one is safe from harm in the water no matter how well they can swim.

The moral of this story is never take your eyes off your child when they are around any body of water no matter how small it may be, and never assume no matter how well your child can swim that they do not need supervision. There are many things that can influence your safety in the water and they include getting smashed into the sand by a wave; someone jumping into a pool on top of you; slipping on the side of the pool and hitting your head as you fall into the pool. These are just a few ways strong swimmers can drown or have a near death by drowning experience.

Please keep this in mind. If your child has some sort of a medical event or accident on land they can still breath until help arrives; if this happens in the water breathing becomes a real problem and the chances are you will drown or almost drown because of the inability to continue breathing until help arrives. Closely supervised children do not drown so please be very alert when you and your family around a body of water.

Chris Shapland.

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