Speaker: Diane Billard, Project Leader, Rotary Josh the Otter Water Safety Program
Brooke Vu, our Club President, introduced our speaker Diane Billard, a project leader for the Josh the Otter Water Safety Program. Diane is a club member of the Rotary Club of Little River. She is a graduate of Ball State University and University of Toledo where she obtained her law degree.
Drowning is the #1 cause of unintentional deaths in children ages 1-4 and the #2 cause of unintentional death in children 1-14.
To combat these statistics, the Rotary Club of Little River, in partnership with the Joshua Collinsworth Memorial Foundation, is offering the Josh the Otter Drowning Prevention Program to local schools, clubs, and organizations. The project includes an educational program for young children to teach them
- Stay away from the water, unless with an adult
- Always swim with a buddy
- When in trouble, float.
In the program, several Rotarians visit a classroom, daycare facility, or church to read the Josh the Otter book to the children. A coloring book and stickers are provided to the children. The Josh the Otter mascot accompanies the Rotarians at the programs. In addition to educating the children, adults are educated on the warning signs to watch out for.
For more information or to bring “Josh the Otter” to your classroom, please contact Diane Billard at billardlease@outlook.com or JoAnn Stevens, President, at nickjostevens@comcast.net
