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May to focus on water safety

Fri, 04/29/2016 - 11:17 am
  • (Photo by Thomas Wallner)  
    Spencer B. Street, Darby Brockway, Brint Albritton and City Manager Brandon Anderson and, seated at right, Tracey Terasas, head of the Remembering Wyatt Dale Water Safety Awareness organization, and councilman Lee Boyd, seated at right.
  • (Photo by Kyle Borne)  
    Young County Judge John C. Bullock, center, signs a proclamation declaring May as National Water Safety Awareness month in Young County. Looking on are, back row, from left, Precinct 4 Commissioner Jimmy Wiley, Remembering Wyatt Dale Water Safety Awareness organizer Tracey Terasas and Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Sipes, and seated at left Precinct 3 Commissioner Stacey Rogers  and Precinct 2 Commissioner Matt Pruitt, seated at right.
newsdesk@grahamleader.com

Both the Graham City Council and the Young County Commissioners signed a proclamation declaring May as National Water Safety Awareness month in order to bring more community awareness to the issue.


The proclamation was brought forth by the Remembering Wyatt Dale Water Safety Awareness Board, which also will hold a water safety awareness event at Lake Eddleman Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 21.


The group is inviting local businesses, churches and individuals to set up canopies at the park with a water-related activity, such as a dunking booth or water slides. They are also encouraging those participating to share information about water safety with others in their businesses, churches or families and build relationships in the community.


There is no charge for the event, but the organization will be selling water, tea and soda with the proceeds going toward the Remembering Wyatt Dale Safety Awareness non-profit organization and its efforts to help save lives by purchasing life jackets, providing water safety awareness training and scholarships for family swimming lessons.


“At this point it’s looking like we will have at least 25 booths that will be out there,” said Tracey Terasas at the April 21 Graham City Council meeting.


Terasas, who heads the organization, said last year’s event was a success with more than 40 participants in the 5K run and 268 who came out to the city pool. During that day, the organization passed out 150 life jackets and are planning to surpass that number this year.


“There will be at least 25 different stations that families will be able to go through and be given water safety awareness tips at each one,” said Terasas. “The kids will get a card and will stamp it at each station, so that way they have to go to those different stations. They’ll watch a mock CPR and things like that, so it will be a fun day and an educational day as well.”


Booths that will be available at the event:


• DOT - Simulator “Rollover Convincer”
• The LV Project
• The BMF Project - “Larry the Life Jacket”
• Spreading Sunshine for Jaylen
• Young County Marine Enforcement
• Desk and Derrick
• Air Evac Life Team
• National Safe Boating Council
• The Swim Lesson People
• The Water Connection
• Stillwaters Pool & Lawn
• Graham City Pool Lifeguards
• Graham Regional Medical Center
• Graham Regional Wellness Center
• Josh the Otter
• Graham ISD - Crestview and Pioneer Elementary
• Palo Pinto Sheriff’s Office
• Texas Parks & Wildlife Game Wardens
• Sasquatch Snow
• Brazos River Authority
• Oilfield Safety Services
• Faith Center


The Remembering Wyatt Dale Water Safety Awareness organization was formed in 2014, in memory of 3-year-old Wyatt Dale Terasas, who lost his life to an accidental drowning while on a family swimming outing on July 7, 2013.


The organization’s mission since 2014 has been to “Save Lives One Jacket at a Time” though water safety awareness training and by providing life jackets to families that need them.


For more information or to donate to the cause and provide a life jacket for a child, contact 940-456-0529 or email Rememberingwyattdale.com.

“There will be at least 25 different stations that families will be able to go through and be given water safety awareness tips at each one”