Updates
Still Moving Forward: Why the Cady Way Pool Matters More Than Ever
I'm not going to lie… IT’S BEEN A LONG ROAD!
For nearly two years, we’ve been working toward the new aquatic complex at Cady Way. And I’ll admit it: sometimes it feels like we’re treading water. 👀
My wife Bess and I, along with our amazing Foundation board, have poured an enormous part of ourselves into this project. We’ve sat through numerous Parks & Recreation meetings and City Commission meetings. We’ve worked with architects, engineers, city planners and government agencies. We’ve raised money, revised plans, answered questions, cleared one hurdle — and then discovered the next one waiting.
Right now, we’re waiting on permits. And I worry that from the outside, it can look like nothing is happening.
But I want you to know: we are moving forward.
💪 THERE HAS BEEN REAL PROGRESS
This year brought us closer than ever to breaking ground on the pool. And one-third of our Cady Way revitalization project is already complete: the three new beach volleyball courts are finished and being used.
At the same time, the Blue Dolfins Foundation has already gotten started doing the real work that matters” drowning prevention and water safety education.
This summer, we held our Drowning Prevention Week, provided free swim lessons, and spoke to community groups about water safety and drowning prevention. We also welcomed five-time Olympian and current World Record Holder Alia Atkinson to our Foundation, bringing her extraordinary experience and passion for expanding access to swimming to our mission.
👉 We are already doing the work, but a new pool will allow us to do so much more.
❤️🩹 THIS IS PERSONAL FOR US
For Bess and me, and for the members of our board, this has become much more than a construction project or a fundraising campaign.
We know what is at stake.
By late July, 19 children had already lost their lives to accidental drowning across Central Florida this year. And according to Orlando Health, for every child who dies from drowning, another eight are treated in emergency rooms and survive — some facing serious, lifelong consequences.
When you spend your life around children and water, those aren't just statistics. They hit very close to home. 😞
After more than three decades of coaching, I know what happens when children are given access to water, good instruction and the opportunity to become confident swimmers. And all of us involved with the Foundation have our own reasons for wanting to see more children in our community given that opportunity.
🐬 YES, THIS WILL BE HOME TO THE BLUE DOLFINS — BUT IT IS SO MUCH MORE
For our swimmers and alumni, I know how exciting it is to imagine a home where the Blue Dolfins can train, host meets, chase goals and build the friendships and memories that have defined this team for generations.
Today, our swimmers include athletes like U.S. National Junior Team member Denzo Senekal, who is ranked first in the nation, and USA Down Syndrome Swimming Team member Lauren Bergquist, who will soon represent our country at the World Championships. Their accomplishments remind us just how far a swimmer can go when given the opportunity, coaching and a place to grow.
I can't wait to see what future generations of Blue Dolfins will accomplish in a pool they can truly call home.
👉 But this pool was never meant to be just for us.
We envision a community facility filled with children learning to swim, adults learning for the first time, families enjoying the water, lap swimmers staying healthy, lifeguards being certified, first responders training, athletes with disabilities competing, summer campers playing — and Blue Dolfins swimmers chasing dreams of their own.
Because ultimately, we aren't just building a pool. We're building a place where our community can learn to be safe around water, and where every swimmer has the opportunity to discover just how far the water can take them.
‼️ WHATEVER HAPPENS WITH AMENDMENT 3, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD
There is understandable uncertainty surrounding Amendment 3 this November. But whatever happens at the ballot box, our project still plans on moving forward.
City leaders have discussed reduced community pool hours and other service reductions as possible responses if Amendment 3 passes. If access to supervised community swimming becomes more limited, that doesn't make our mission less important.
👉 It makes teaching children to swim even more important.
💙 PLEASE STAY WITH US
As we head toward the holidays, attention naturally turns to family, travel and celebrations. And after nearly two years of hearing about this project, it would be easy to assume someone else will carry it across the finish line.
‼️ We need you to stay with us.
Bess and I are still here. Our board is still here. Our coaches, swimmers, families and supporters are still here. And we are closer than we have ever been.
✅ The volleyball courts are complete.
✅ The pool continues moving through the permitting process.
✅ Our drowning-prevention programs are reaching families now.
We're tired sometimes... I won't pretend otherwise.
But we haven't lost sight of why we started. And I hope you haven't either.
Thank you for believing in this project, in the Blue Dolfins Foundation, and in the idea that every child in our community deserves the opportunity to learn how to swim.
With gratitude,
Joe Auer
Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation
P.S. With the holidays on the horizon (can you believe Christmas decor is already in stores?!) we have our annual Christmas Tree drive ready for you to order your trees, wreaths, and poinsettias, all of which benefit the Foundation.
From World Records to Water Safety: Alia Atkinson Believes Swimming Is for Everyone
Five-time Olympian and world-record-setting swimmer Alia Atkinson has competed at the very highest levels of her sport. Today, she’s using what swimming taught her to help others discover something even more fundamental: confidence, independence and safety in the water.
For Alia Atkinson, learning to swim was never simply about becoming an athlete. It was something her family considered a basic life skill.
“My family has always believed in swimming as a life skill,” Alia says. “When my siblings and I were born, we all learned how to swim before the age of four.”
Growing up in Jamaica, surrounded by water, learning to swim may have seemed like an obvious choice. But Alia says the lesson applies everywhere.
“The mindset I hear is, ‘If I don’t go near any water, then I should be fine.’ The reality is drowning is prevalent in every community and can happen to any person, regardless of age.”
Her parents understood that water safety was knowledge their children would carry throughout their lives. They could not have known just how far swimming would eventually take their daughter.
🐝 The Eight-Year-Old Who Got Back in the Pool
Alia chose to pursue swimming competitively when she was around eight years old. And while she would eventually become a five-time Olympian, world champion, and world-record holder, she remembers being a little girl who mostly wanted to have fun in the water.
Her coaches were already trying to teach her something beyond strokes and turns: the mindset of an athlete. One particular practice has stayed with her.
“A bee stung me on my face during practice and the coach pulled me out of the water, took the stinger out, looked at my tear-filled eyes and swollen cheek and said, ‘You’re an athlete. Things like this can’t defeat you. Now get back in the water.’”
And she did.
“It was probably because I was eight and did what I was told, but a part of me wanted to show the bee that it didn’t get the best of me,” she remembers. “So I went back in and finished the practice.”
Years later, she reminded that coach about the incident.
“He said he was shocked that I actually went back in the water. That’s when he knew I would go far in the sport.”
He was right. But perhaps more importantly, the lesson Alia learned that day stayed with her long after that practice ended.
💪🏾 Swimming Teaches More Than Swimming
After more than 20 years competing internationally, Alia began thinking about how she could share what the sport had given her. She started offering swim camps, drawing upon decades of training, international competition and performing under pressure.
But she also recognized something important: the lessons that helped make her an elite athlete weren't valuable only to elite athletes.
“What I noticed was that the athletic mindset is not innate, nor is it ingrained in athletes at a young age,” she says. “Like the eight-year-old girl, if I was never challenged and shown how to respond when situations arise, then my older self would not have overcome the multitude of obstacles that stood in my way.”
That realization helped lead Alia back to the very beginning: learning to swim.
“I decided to focus on learning to swim to help instill confidence, independence and a love for water in every learner,” she says. “The traits I developed from swimming have shaped me into the person I am, and these traits can help every learner in life.”
That philosophy resonates deeply with the mission of the Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation. Learning to swim can save a life. But the benefits don't necessarily stop at water safety. A swimmer can also discover independence. Confidence. Persistence. Joy.
And sometimes, an entirely new understanding of what they are capable of doing.
💧 Making the Water a Place for Everyone
Alia has made adaptive swim instruction an important part of her work as well. Her reason is simple: she wants people who may face additional barriers to have the opportunity to experience the water and everything it can offer.
“My inclusion of adaptive learning to swim originates from a desire to help a vulnerable population,” she explains. “To encourage them to build confidence with new skills, enjoy the sensory, physical and behavioral benefits associated with water, and gain skills that can be generalized to other areas of their life.”
For families of children and adults with disabilities, those accomplishments can take many different forms. Success doesn't have to mean becoming a competitive swimmer. It may mean becoming comfortable putting your face in the water. But it also means:
Learning how to float.
Reaching the side of the pool.
Following a new instruction.
Feeling comfortable in an unfamiliar environment.
Or simply discovering that the water can be a place of joy.
“Being a part of their journey of joy, self-expression and creating a safe and fun environment for them is a blessing post-career,” Alia says.
🏡 The Lessons She Learned at Home
Despite the coaches, teammates and extraordinary athletes Alia encountered throughout her career, when asked about the role models whose influence remains with her today, she comes back to two people: her parents.
“As I got older, I realized I followed my parents' behavior the most,” she says. “The calmness in situations from my father and the strong will to push towards my goals from my mother kept me focused throughout my career.”
Those qualities — calmness when circumstances become difficult and determination to keep moving toward a goal — followed Alia from childhood lessons all the way to the Olympic Games.
Now she hopes to pass them along to another generation.
💦 Alia’s Watabound
Through her Watabound program, Alia is bringing together the different pieces of her swimming journey: swim camps, online mentoring, learn-to-swim instruction and coaching. But the goal isn't simply to create better swimmers.
“Bringing out a person’s best self is the prime objective,” she says, “through physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.”
It's a fitting next chapter for an athlete whose career demonstrated just how far swimming can take someone. Because long before the world records, championships and Olympic Games, there was a little girl whose parents decided she needed to know how to swim.
Then there was an eight-year-old with a swollen cheek who climbed back into the pool. And today, there is Alia Atkinson standing on the other side of the pool, helping someone else discover what they can do.
💙 At the Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation, that's the opportunity we want every person to have.
Whether someone is learning at four, forty, or eighty; whether their goal is competition, independence, water safety or simply feeling comfortable in the pool… everyone deserves the opportunity to learn.
Because swimming can become a sport. It can become a passion. It can build confidence that lasts a lifetime.
But most importantly, learning to swim can save a life.
The Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation is thankful to have Alia as a spokesperson, spreading the importance of water safety and drowning prevention.
More Than 82,700 Community Touchpoints: Drowning Prevention Week Makes a Splash
One week. Thousands of connections. And a strong start toward making our community safer around water.
One week. Thousands of connections. And a strong start toward making our community safer around water.
When the Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation launched our very first Drowning Prevention Week, July 18–25, our goal was simple: get our community talking about water safety and drowning prevention, and—even more importantly—give families practical tools they could use to help keep their family safer around water.
Over the week, we combined in-person events, free swim instruction, online education, social media challenges and community outreach, all built around one important message: Water Means Wait.
And our community showed up! Throughout Drowning Prevention Week, we recorded more than 82,782+ points of engagement across our events, website, social media, magazine, educational resources, and online activities.
Our website received 7,218 unique visitors during the campaign, as families came online to learn more about drowning prevention and the resources available to them. (This was a record for us!)
✅ Swim Lessons
To kick off the week, over 30 children and adults participated in our free community swim lesson at Cady Way Pool, taking an important step toward becoming safer and more confident in the water. Orlando Health was on deck passing out sunblock and water safety information.
✅ Olympian Alia Atkinson’s Inspiration
Over 60 people joined us in person to hear five-time Olympic swimmer and current world record holder Alia Atkinson share her story, offer advice to young swimmers, and talk about the importance of making swimming a universal life skill.
The event was held at the Center for Health and Well Being, thanks to the Winter Park Health Foundation and the support of Winter Park Chamber of Commerce.
✅ Water Safety at Home
114 people downloaded our free Waterproof Your Home Kit so far. It is designed to help families identify potential water hazards and create layers of protection around children. The campaign emphasized that preventing unexpected access to water—from barriers and alarms to active supervision—is an important part of drowning prevention.
Click the image below to download your copy.
✅ Emergency Preparedness
More than 640 people have watched our Facebook Live with Dr. TeShondra Abner on our emergency-response program, learning what to do when an emergency happens and why preparation, CPR knowledge and rescue skills matter.
✅ Learning to Float
17 people posted photos of floating like starfish, helping us demonstrate one of the simplest but most important water-survival skills: knowing how to roll onto your back, float and conserve energy.
✅ Promise of Supervision
More than 700 people saw our Water Watcher pledge cards, reinforcing the importance of having a designated adult whose only job is actively watching children around water.
✅ Social Media Campaign: Blowing Bubbles
Our 25 Bubbles Challenge got underway, using one of the very first skills children learn in swim lessons—blowing bubbles—to spread awareness while beginning to raise money to support the Foundation's work.
Special thanks to Debbie D. for this great video!
✅ Awareness Continues
The Foundation’s Cady Way Family Magazine, packed with information on health and fitness and water safety information, has had over 74,000 impressions. Click the image below to read it now.
✅ Community Focus
Because several of these numbers represent overlapping audiences, we don't consider 82,782 to be 82,782 different individuals. Instead, it represents more than 82,700+ opportunities to put water safety in front of someone, teach a lifesaving skill, start a conversation or inspire someone to take action.
And the actual reach was even greater, since not every conversation, share, challenge participant or person reached through the campaign can be counted.
The Foundation created Drowning Prevention Week as a community-wide initiative centered on awareness, education and the lifesaving value of learning to swim. From swim lessons and emergency preparedness to active supervision and learning to float, the week demonstrated that drowning prevention isn't one action—it's layers of protection working together.
More than 82,782 community touchpoints is a strong start… but it's only a start.
Our goal is to keep building on that momentum until every child in our community has the opportunity to learn to swim, every family understands how to make their home safer around water, and every adult understands the role they can play in preventing drowning.
Because making a dent in drowning doesn't happen through one organization, one event or one week.
It happens when an entire community decides that every child deserves to be safe around water.
If you are interested in supporting our efforts to bring water safety and drowning prevention programming to even more families here in Central Florida, click below.
Drowning Prevention Week: Free Events to Raise Water Safety Awareness
Join us for a week dedicated to making a dent in drowning.
Every summer, hundreds of thousands of Florida families head to the water. Whether it's the beach, a lake, or a backyard pool, water is part of what makes living here so special.
But it also comes with a heartbreaking reality.
Drowning remains the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1–4, and Florida consistently ranks among the states with the highest number of child drowning deaths. In recent months we have seen two fatal drownings right here in the Winter Park and Maitland area.
The good news is that many of these tragedies are preventable through education, preparation, supervision, and swim lessons.
That's why the Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation is proud to push a new initiative: Drowning Prevention Week, July 18–25. It’s a week of free community events designed to give families the knowledge, skills, and confidence to help keep children safe around water.
A Week Dedicated to Saving Lives
Throughout the week, our community will come together for activities that are educational, interactive, and fun. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, caregiver, teacher, coach, or simply someone who spends time around water, there's something for everyone.
✅ Saturday, July 18: Free Community Swim Lesson
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
👉 Join Us at Cady Way Pool 💦
Learning to swim is one of the most important life-saving skills a child can have. Join the Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation for a free community swim lesson designed to help children build confidence in the water while learning essential water safety skills.
Led by experienced swim instructors, this introductory lesson will focus on very basic swimming techniques, water comfort, and age-appropriate safety practices. Whether your child is just getting started or needs additional practice, this free event provides a safe and supportive environment to learn.
Space is limited, and advance registration is a must so we know how many instructors to have available.
✅ Sunday, July 19th: The 25 Bubbles Social Media Challenge
👉 Join Us on Social Media 📸
Every swimmer starts somewhere—and for many, that first step is learning how to blow bubbles in the water.
The 25 Bubbles Challenge is a fun and easy way for everyone to participate in Drowning Prevention Week while helping raise awareness about the importance of learning to swim. Simply record a short video of yourself (or your child) blowing 25 bubbles in the water and share it on social media.
Whether you're a competitive swimmer, a beginner, or just young at heart, your video can help spread an important message: learning to swim starts with small steps, and those small steps can save lives.
Be sure to tag the Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation @BDWinterPark and challenge your friends and family to join in!
Together, let's fill social media with bubbles—and help make swimming a universal life skill.
Because every child deserves the opportunity to learn this life-saving skill.
✅ Monday, July 20th: Meet & Greet with 5x Olympic Swimmer and World Record Holder Alia Atkinson
👉 Join Us at the Winter Park Health & Wellness Center 📸
Join us for a special opportunity to meet five-time Olympian, world champion, and former world record holder Alia Atkinson, one of the most influential figures in the sport of swimming.
Alia has inspired athletes around the world through her accomplishments in the pool and her commitment to expanding access to swim education and water safety. During this special event, attendees will have the chance to meet Alia, hear about her journey from aspiring swimmer to international champion, and learn why she is passionate about making swimming a universal life skill.
This family-friendly event is designed to inspire swimmers of all ages while highlighting the important role swim lessons and water safety education play in preventing drowning.
Come meet a champion—and help us build a safer community through swimming.
✅ Tuesday, July 21st: Waterproof Your Home
👉 Follow Along on Social Media & Download Your Free Kit 📸
Childhood drownings occur when a child gains unexpected access to water. That's why creating layers of protection around your home is one of the most effective ways to prevent tragedy.
Throughout the day, we’ll be sharing practical water safety tips on social media to help families identify and address potential hazards around their homes. From pool barriers and gate alarms to supervision strategies and emergency preparedness, we'll highlight simple steps that can make a lifesaving difference.
You can also download our free Waterproof Your Home Guide, a comprehensive checklist and resource kit designed to help parents and caregivers evaluate their property and improve water safety at home.
✅ Wednesday, July 22: Prepare for Any Emergency
👉 Join Us on Facebook Live 📸
When an emergency happens, every second counts. Knowing how to respond quickly and confidently can make all the difference.
Join us live on Facebook for an informative and interactive session with TeShondra Abner, athletic trainer and Red Cross-certified instructor, as she shares practical tips to help families prepare for water-related and other common emergencies.
TeShondra will discuss the importance of emergency preparedness, recognizing dangerous situations, creating a family emergency plan, and the critical role that CPR and rescue skills can play when every moment matters. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions and learn simple steps they can take today to be better prepared tomorrow.
Whether you're a parent, caregiver, coach, teacher, or community member, this session will provide valuable knowledge that could help you respond effectively in an emergency.
Join us from the comfort of your home and learn how preparation can help save lives.
✅ Thursday, July 23: Starfish Day
👉 Join Us in Your Own Pool and Follow Along on Social Media 📸
One of the most important skills a swimmer can learn isn't swimming at all—it's floating.
On Starfish Day, we're encouraging swimmers of all ages to hop in the pool and share a photo of themselves (or their child) floating on their back with arms and legs spread wide like a starfish.
Floating is a foundational water safety skill. If a swimmer becomes tired, needs a break, or finds themselves in trouble, the ability to roll onto their back and float can conserve energy, promote calmness, and help keep their airway above the water until assistance arrives. For new swimmers, floating also builds confidence and teaches an important lesson: it's okay to relax in the water.
To participate, simply snap a photo of your best "starfish float" and share it on social media. Be sure to tag the Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation and encourage others to join the challenge.
Let's fill our feeds with starfish and spread the message that learning to float is a skill that can help save lives.
✅ Friday, July 24: Take the Water Watcher Pledge
👉 Download Your Pledge Card Now 📸
Drowning is often silent and can happen in seconds. That's why one of the most effective ways to keep children safe around water is to designate a dedicated Water Watcher whenever children are swimming or playing near water.
On Water Watcher Day, we invite parents, grandparents, caregivers, coaches, and community members to take the official Water Watcher Pledge and commit to being fully present when children are near water.
By taking the pledge, you'll join a growing community of families dedicated to preventing drowning through active supervision and water safety awareness. Participants will receive a downloadable Water Watcher badge or card that can be used at pools, beaches, lakes, and backyard gatherings to clearly identify who is responsible for supervision.
It only takes a moment to become distracted—but it only takes a moment to save a life.
Take the pledge. Stay alert. Be a Water Watcher.
✅ Saturday, July 25: World Drowning Prevention Day
👉 Follow Along on Social Media 📸
We’re joining communities around the world in celebrating World Drowning Prevention Day, a global initiative led by the World Health Organization to raise awareness about drowning prevention and water safety.
To mark the occasion, local swimmers will attempt to set a World Record for the most people blowing bubbles at the same time. Since blowing bubbles is often the very first skill new swimmers learn, it's the perfect way to celebrate the importance of swim education and water safety.
Whether you participate in person or from your own pool, help us make a splash, break a record, and spread the message that swimming is a life-saving skill.
Everyone Can Make a Difference
Whether you only attend one event or participate in every activity, you'll be helping spread an important message throughout our community: “Water Means Wait!”
Water safety isn't just something we think about after a tragedy. It's something we can practice every day.
Together, we can create a future where more children learn to swim, more families are prepared, and fewer lives are lost.
Five-Time Olympic Swimmer Alia Atkinson Partners with Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation to Save Lives
5x Olympic swimmer and current world record holder Alia Atkinson has joined the Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation as a spokesperson and advocate.
The Current World Record Holder Joins the Foundation as a Spokesperson and Advocate to Help Save Lives Locally
WINTER PARK, Fla. — Five-time Olympian, world record holder, and water safety advocate Alia Atkinson has joined the Winter Park Blue Dolfins, Inc. as an official spokesperson.
The announcement comes as drowning remains one of the leading causes of death for children, a risk that is even greater for children with autism, who are often drawn to water and may wander from caregivers.
"Drowning is every parent's nightmare," said Joe Auer, co-founder of the Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation. "Each loss reminds us why this work matters. Every child should have the opportunity to learn lifesaving water skills, and every family deserves access to water safety education and resources."
Atkinson is one of the most accomplished swimmers in history. She currently holds the world records in two short course (25m) breaststroke events: the 50m breaststroke (28.56 seconds set in 2018) and the 100m breaststroke (a record time of 1:02.36, originally set in 2014 and matched in 2016). She also represented Jamaica in five Olympic Games and became the first Black woman to win a world swimming title. Today, she is focused on using her platform Watabound to help more children gain confidence and safety in the water.
Her advocacy is particularly meaningful as she pursues certification in adaptive swim instruction while completing graduate studies in behavioral therapy. Her work reflects a growing need to ensure that children of all abilities—including those with autism and other developmental differences—have access to quality swim instruction and water safety education.
"Swimming is more than a sport—it's a life skill," said Atkinson. "Every child deserves the chance to be safe, confident, and capable in the water. I'm honored to partner with the Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation because we share a commitment to creating opportunities that can save lives."
As part of the partnership, Atkinson will headline a public meet-and-greet and participate in community events during the Foundation's Drowning Prevention Week, July 18 - July 25.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
The Foundation is organizing a series of activities designed to raise awareness about drowning prevention, water safety, adaptive swim instruction, and the importance of making swimming accessible to every child. The Meet & Greet with Alia Atkinson will take place on Monday, July 19, to help kick off the week.
4,000 Lives a Year: Drowning—The Crisis No One Is Talking About
4,000 Americans drown every year. Many are children. Most are preventable.
The number no one is talking about: 4,000.
That’s how many Americans drown every year — unintentionally, needlessly. That works out to roughly 11 lives lost every single day…an entire classroom of children drowning every single week.
It is one of the leading causes of accidental death in this country, and it barely registers in the national conversation.
Every 11 Minutes, a Family's World Changes.
In the United States alone, someone drowns every 11 minutes. Many are children… and nearly all were preventable.
Drowning is the number one cause of accidental death for children ages 1 to 4 in the United States — more than car accidents, more than falls, more than anything else parents instinctively guard against.
And for every child who dies, eight more are pulled from the water alive — many of them with permanent brain damage, disabilities that will shape every moment of the rest of their lives.
While the death toll is devastating, the survival toll is larger, and quieter.
Then there's Florida.
Florida is not just high-risk. Florida is in a category of its own.
Year after year, this state ranks at the very top of national drowning statistics for young children — and Central Florida sits at the center of that crisis.
Florida has 500+ deaths per year from drowning.
We record more than 500 drowning deaths annually across all ages.
Why? Warm weather means year-round pool access. High home density means backyard pools behind thousands of residential fences — or without fences at all. And woven through every neighborhood in Central Florida: retention ponds and lakes. Quiet. Accessible. Deadly.
Drowning is a silent, quick death.
A child can drown in the time it takes a parent to answer a text message. Quickly. Silently.
In Florida, the water is always there — in the backyard, at the end of the street, around the corner. Distance is not protection. Knowledge is.
Prevention has to reach everyone.
Recently, you may have received an Amber Alert on your phone. When the alert came through our phones, it wasn’t just a missing child.
It said autism. It said water.
And anyone who understands what that means felt it immediately—this wasn’t just a search. It was a race. And this time around, it ended in heartache when 13-year-old Na’Sean Kirkland drowned in a lake near his Maitland home.
Children with autism — a population with significant presence in Central Florida — face drowning risk up to 14 times higher than their peers. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children with autism under age 15. They are drawn to water and may not recognize its danger.
And racial disparities compound the crisis. Black children between ages 10 and 14 drown in swimming pools at rates nearly eight times higher than white children the same age — a gap driven almost entirely by historical inequities in swimming instruction and pool access. Prevention is also a matter of equity.
What the statistics don't show is the ripple — the siblings who watched, the parents who will never sleep the same way again, the coaches and first responders who carry what they saw for the rest of their lives.
‼️ 4,000 Americans who drown each year
❌ 500+ Floridians — among the highest per-capita in the U.S.
💔 32,000 Nonfatal drowning ER visits nationally, each year
😞 An infinite number of families forever changed — in ways no statistic can hold
This is why we exist.
The water isn't going anywhere. Neither are we.
The Winter Park Blue Dolphins Foundation exists because every single one of these numbers is preventable. Swim lessons. Pool barriers. Community education. Water safety awareness.
This is our mission.
Our mission is to make swimming a universal life skill in our community. We believe swimming is more than a safety measure—it is foundational to lifelong health and well-being.
We focus on safety, accessibility, participation, and opportunity because we believe stronger communities start in the water!
In addition to our current capital project of adding a 50m pool at Cady Way, we are also working on an ongoing mission of preventing accidental drowning.
With the help of community partners the City of Winter Park and Orlando Health, our programming is developing into a comprehensive approach to water safety:
✅ Free community swim lessons focused on real-world water safety
✅ CPR and rescue breathing certification classes for parents, teens, and caregivers
✅ Education campaigns to help families “waterproof” their homes and environments
✅ Outreach to underserved and high-risk populations
We don't measure our work in dollars raised or lessons taught. We measure it in futures that didn't end at the water's edge.
Data and statistics for this post were pulled from the CDC:
https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/data-research/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/health-equity/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7024a1.htm
Safety: Why Every Life Skill Begins in the Water
We believe swimming is more than a safety measure—it is foundational to lifelong health and well-being. Stronger communities start in the water!
Long before the Cady Way Pool existed, the land where it sits today was the home of the Showalter Airpark.
After World War II, Howard Showalter and his brother and cousin (all war veterans) opened a small airfield on this very property. The trio offered flying lessons for many Winter Park residents and later serviced Elvis, Howard Hughes and Walt Disney.
Image courtesy of the Winter Park History Museum.
But aviation was not the only part of Howard Showalter’s story.
As a young man back in Virginia, Howard worked as a lifeguard, and later, at 52 years of age, his training kicked in during a trip to New Smyrna Beach.
A young boy, Anthony J. Woodruff, began to struggle in the water. Seeing the distress, Showalter did what lifeguards are trained to do—he charged in after the swimmer, reaching him before any beach lifeguards could.
Howard successfully rescued Anthony, pushing him to safety, but in the process, Howard drowned.
His sacrifice saved a life, and his actions were honored with a Carnegie Hero Award.
Today, few people realize that the land where families now gather to swim, learn, and train carries the legacy of someone who gave his life protecting another person in the water.
It is a sobering reminder that in a state surrounded by water water safety is not optional—it is essential.
🛟 Safety Is Our First Pillar
Here at the Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation, safety is the first and most fundamental pillar of our mission.
Drowning remains the leading cause of accidental death for children under age 4, and far too many adults lack the basic swim skills needed to stay safe in pools, lakes, and oceans. In Florida—where water is part of everyday life—this challenge is especially urgent.
Our goal is simple but powerful:
Every child and adult in our community should know how to swim and feel confident in the water.
👉 How We Are Advancing Water Safety
Through partnerships and programs, the Blue Dolfins Foundation works to expand access to lifesaving swim education throughout our community.
✅ Monthly Free Swim Lessons
During the warm months, we host free swim lessons and water safety programs for children and adults, ensuring that financial barriers never prevent someone from learning these critical skills. Click here for more info.
✅ Learn-to-Swim Programs
Working in partnership with the City of Winter Park, we support structured learn-to-swim programs that help swimmers of all ages build confidence and competence in the water.
✅ Community Water Safety Awareness
Water safety is a shared responsibility. We collaborate with organizations including:
City of Winter Park
Local Orange County Schools
Down Syndrome Swimming
Together, we help spread awareness about drowning prevention and the importance of early swim education.
💕 And we’re thankful for Winter Park residents like Melissa Mishoe, whose grandfather was an Olympic swimmer, for her dedication and passion for young children learning to swim.
💪 Carrying the Legacy Forward
Howard Showalter’s story reminds us that knowing how to swim—and knowing how to help others safely—can mean the difference between life and death.
→ Every child who learns to float.
→ Every adult who gains confidence in the water.
→ Every family that understands water safety.
Each of these moments creates a ripple effect that spreads through our entire community: Stronger communities start in the water!
At the future Cady Way aquatic complex, we envision a place where safety comes first—where swimmers of every age and ability can learn the skills that protect lives.
Because the strongest communities begin with people who know how to care for one another.
And sometimes, that care begins in the water!
📊 Cady Way Project: 2025 Impact & Progress Highlights
2025 has been a year of real momentum for the Cady Way Revitalization Project—and we’re excited to share what you’ve helped make possible.
Thanks to the Winter Park community’s incredible support, 2025 has been a year of real momentum for the Cady Way Revitalization Project—and we’re excited to share what you’ve helped make possible.
Here’s what we’ve accomplished together so far:
📊 2025 Impact & Progress Highlights
Orlando Health secured and publicly announced as our official presenting sponsor, bringing long-term credibility, financial stability, and strong alignment with our mission of health, safety, and wellness.
More than 100 new individual and corporate donors joined the project this year, significantly expanding our supporter base and strengthening long-term sustainability.
Over $800,000 raised in new funding, bringing us meaningfully closer to completing all stages of the project.
Grant support secured from seven nonprofit organizations, strengthening our coalition around swim safety, public health, and equitable community access.
Three smaller fundraising events held, collectively raising more than $24,000 to support the project.
Featured in numerous local and regional news outlets, including Fox 35, Spectrum News 13, Channel 6, and Winter Park Magazine, increasing public awareness and community engagement.
Multiple in-kind donations secured, reducing overall project costs through donated goods, services, and professional expertise.
Project architect officially brought on board, marking a critical transition from planning to execution.
Official pool blueprints received, finalizing the design for the new 50-meter aquatic facility.
A 1950s-era aircraft donated for Stage 3, adding a meaningful historical and educational element to the expanded green space.
Free swim lesson program launched, directly advancing drowning prevention and equitable access to life-saving skills.
Cady Way Family Magazine published its first issue, creating an online publication dedicated to:
– Share ongoing project updates
– Highlight community voices
– Promote water safety, health, and wellness
– Build long-term awareness and engagement
And perhaps most exciting (so far), we’ve officially broken ground on the beach volleyball courts—our first visible sign of construction at Cady Way.
👉 We can’t wait to celebrate with you at the grand opening event for the courts—more details coming soon!
Thank you for believing in this project!
Every one of these milestones is the direct result of community belief and support. What began as a vision is now visibly taking shape, and we are firmly moving from planning into action.
We are deeply grateful to each of you for being part of this journey. Thank you for helping us create a facility—and a community space—that will serve generations to come.
Winter Park to Break Ground on Cady Way Beach Volleyball Complex December 3
The Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation, the City of Winter Park, and presenting sponsor Orlando Health will break ground on the new Cady Way Beach Volleyball Complex on Wednesday, December 3 at 3 p.m. at Cady Way Park.
Winter Park, FL – December 1, 2025 – The Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation, the City of Winter Park, and presenting sponsor Orlando Health will break ground on the new Cady Way beach volleyball complex on Wednesday, December 3 at 3 p.m. at Cady Way Park.
The ceremony marks the first major phase of Cady Way Park's revitalization, which will feature three NCAA/FHSAA competition-level beach volleyball courts that will transform the historic site into a premier regional destination for aquatic and recreational sports.
"These courts are just the beginning of what will become a flagship facility for our community," said Joe Auer, president of the Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation. "They will serve athletes, students, and families of all ages—encouraging healthy activity and community pride."
The ceremony will feature remarks from Winter Park Mayor Sheila DeCiccio, Orlando Health leadership, and members of Central Florida's volleyball community.
"This project enhances recreational opportunities for our residents and aligns with our commitment to health, wellness, and high-quality public spaces," said Jason Seeley, Director of Parks & Recreation for the City of Winter Park.
The larger revitalization plan includes a new 50-meter competition pool, upgraded locker rooms, and expanded programming. Fundraising continues for the aquatic phase, with pool construction expected to begin following final fundraising efforts.
"Orlando Health is proud to support this important project," said Ultima Espino, Senior Director of Sports Partnerships at Orlando Health. "Providing spaces that promote activity, family connection, and community well-being reflects what matters most to us."
Groundbreaking Event Details
Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2025
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Cady Way Park North Field–2525 Cady Way, Winter Park, FL. Please park in Cady Way Parking Lot
Participants: City of Winter Park Mayor Sheila DeCiccio, Orlando Health leadership, Blue Dolfins Foundation representatives, local beach volleyball coaches and athletes, community supporters
Media opportunities: Interviews, photo/video access, event visuals
About the Winter Park Blue Dolfins Foundation
The Blue Dolfins Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, promotes health and wellness through swim instruction, summer camps, and facility improvements. Dedicated to inclusivity and water safety, the foundation supports programs for swimmers of all abilities and offers scholarships for athletes pursuing higher education. A Winter Park swimming tradition since 1972, the organization continues to build community through sport and recreation.
About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a private not-for-profit, integrated academic healthcare system with $14 billion of assets under management, that serves the southeastern United States – including Florida and Alabama – and Puerto Rico. With corporate offices in Orlando, Florida the system provides a complete continuum of care across a network of medical centers and institutes, community and specialty hospitals, physician practices, urgent care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, home healthcare, and long-term and behavioral health care services. Founded more than 100 years ago, Orlando Health’s mission is to improve the health and the quality of life of the individuals and communities we serve. The system provided nearly $2 billion in community impact in the form of community benefit programs and services, Medicare shortfalls, bad debt, community-building activities and capital investments in FY 24, the most recent period for which the information is available. For more information, visit orlandohealth.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.
High School Swimming: Why It Might be the Hardest Sport
High school swimming—where everyday athletes regularly compete against world-class swimmers, including Olympians
Photo: Julie Little, Grit Imaging
While the Blue Dolfins Foundation is committed to providing pool space for swim lessons and addressing the critical issue of drowning prevention, the new 50-meter pool will also play a pivotal role in supporting Winter Park High School athletes.
Both the swim and water polo teams currently share the school’s single 25-yard pool, and since both are year-round sports, pool time is always at a premium. The addition of a nearby 50-meter pool will ease this strain, giving athletes the space they need to train consistently. For swimmers especially, that year-round access is essential—not just for developing skills, but for staying competitive in a state where the bar is set at the highest level.
Why High School Swimming Is Unlike Any Other Sport
When most people think of high school sports, they picture Friday night football games, basketball tournaments, or soccer rivalries. A chance to try something new as a freshman and hopefully find a fun activity to enjoy. While that may be true for some sports at Winter Park, there are certain sports where year-round play has created an environment where true newbies often don’t stand a chance of making the team.
And here in the state of Florida, swimming is in a league of its own.
World Class Swimming in the Sunshine State
Florida isn’t just another swim state—it’s one of the global epicenters of the sport. The best swimmers in the world come here to train with year-round clubs, including the Blue Dolfins.
Currently we are training some of the top swimmers from the United States, Chile, the Bahamas, and Jamaica, as well as national record-holders from Peru. Their eyes are on upcoming national and international competitions and ultimately, the 2028 Olympics.
At the 2016 Olympics, for example, the state of Florida boasted over 60 Olympians that trained with local swim clubs. The state of Florida trained 6 swimmers who competed for Team USA and then claimed another 56 swimmers that represented other countries while competing in Rio. If the state of Florida had been a country, we would have placed 8th in the overall medal count just based on swimming medals alone!
Olympic Trial Qualifiers Lining Up for High School Swim Meets
This explains why the pool deck at a high school dual meet can oftentimes look more like a world-class event. Many Florida high school swimmers train year-round with elite club programs, compete at national meets, and some even qualify for World Championships, Olympic Trials, and the Olympics themselves.
Back in 2014, Bolles School in Jacksonville had future Olympians Santo Condorelli, Ryan Murphy, and Joseph Schooling competing on the same relay. Not only did they absolutely crush the high school state and national record, but just a year and a half later, two of the boys medaled at the 2016 Olympics, with Joseph Schooling even out-touching Michael Phelps for gold in the Butterfly!
That same year Caeleb Dressel swam for Creekside High School, located in the Jacksonville area, and then he medaled in Rio.
More recently, Emma Weyant won multiple high school state swim titles for Riverview High School and then, just few months later, won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. Imagine Olympic medalists lining up behind the blocks against local teenagers… it happens!
The David vs. Goliath Matchup—Every Week
No other high school sport offers this dynamic. You don’t see high school football teams playing the Kansas City Chiefs, or the local basketball squad facing off against the LA Lakers. Yet in Florida swimming, that’s exactly what happens: the average high school swimmer shares the pool with some of the best swimmers in the world.
In recent years at Winter Park High School, senior swimmer Ian Heysen returning from competing at a world championship in Romania and the South American Games in Rio de Janeiro, while Denzo Senekal is currently ranked number one in the nation for backstroke and freestyle.
But the Wildcats are not unique. High school swim teams across the state have their own elite swimmers, creating a true battle when it comes to the championship season.
Winter Park’s legacy speaks for itself: the boy’s team has brought home 14 state titles, while the girls have earned 12. In 1984, Winter Park High School saw 7 of its swimmers at the U.S. Olympic Trials, the most of any high school in the nation.
That’s an impressive record, but the true story goes beyond state championships. It’s about the level of competition these athletes face every single season.
Why the New Pool Matters
While the first priority for the new pool at Cady Way is more space for residents and swim lessons, a secondary benefit is a state-of-the-art facility for these athletes to train year round. Right now, Cady Way has only 6 lanes with a very shallow end and with hundreds of athletes and city residents wanting to swim daily, the current pool space is painfully restricted. An additional pool will alleviate this.
As for Winter Park High School, the competition may be fierce, but it also forges resilience, discipline, and camaraderie that last a lifetime. And for the fans in the stands? It’s like watching the future of Team USA unfold in your own backyard!
To help make the new pool a reality, consider spreading word or making a tax-deductible donation.