In recognition of International Water Safety Day on May 15, the Duke Energy Foundation has announced a grant to the City of New Port Richey. The $10,000 grant is intended to support swim lessons and summer camp scholarships for low-income families through the city’s Youth Scholarship Assistance program.
Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president, emphasized the importance of safety in their operations. “Safety is central to how we operate at Duke Energy. Providing water safety education through swim lessons is a fun but important way to keep children in our community safe this summer,” she stated. She also expressed gratitude towards the City of New Port Richey for its ongoing family programs and was pleased that more children could benefit from these initiatives this summer.
The City of New Port Richey will offer a summer day camp from June 2 to August 8. Interested residents can register by contacting the Recreation and Aquatic Center or visiting their website. Kevin Trapp, assistant parks and recreation director, expressed appreciation for the support from Duke Energy Foundation. “We’re incredibly grateful to Duke Energy Foundation for supporting our efforts to keep kids safe and active all summer long,” he said.
The American Red Cross provided several water safety tips as part of this initiative: swimming in designated areas supervised by lifeguards, always swimming with a buddy, wearing life jackets when boating, installing barriers around home pools or hot tubs, supervising children near water, staying within arm’s reach of young children without distractions, reaching or throwing aid to distressed swimmers instead of going in oneself, and keeping unused toys away from pools.
Duke Energy Foundation annually provides over $30 million in philanthropic support across communities where its customers reside. The foundation is funded by shareholders of Duke Energy—a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., serving millions across multiple states with both electric and natural gas utilities.
