The statistics might be spooky,
but CAST is saving lives!
Fall is our busiest time at CAST. This is a reminder to take advantage of our maintenance lesson program which allows your child to maintain their skills and build confidence. On quickly growing bodies, skills can break down easily without consistent practice. Lessons are listed through December!
Thank you to all our families who are prioritizing their child’s swim safety at CAST’s pool in Forest Park, IL this fall!
RETURN FAMILY SIGN UP (Forest Park,IL)
Reflections after 8 years…
This time of year at CAST signals what has become our busiest quarter. Each week at CAST, we enjoy the controlled chaos of over 100 swimmers and their families entering our facility. We are passionate about reaching new students with self-rescue skills in the cooler months so that children are skilled and safer before spring break trips and summer pool days roll around. At the heart of this effort and impact lies teamwork.
For 9 consecutive fall seasons, we have opened our home, originally to strangers, but who are now dear family friends and trusted partner instructors. These incredible men and women have taken time away from their own families in order to join the CAST Foundation, in skilling students, training instructors and executing research studies, all of which contribute to our mission of increasing access to and awareness for self-rescue lessons. In the process, we empower kids and save lives!
As the weather begins to change and we lay out school picture day outfits for our now 9 & 10 year olds, our family always becomes sentimental thinking about the relationships and traditions we’ve created with the instructor partners (more like family at this juncture) over the last 8 fall seasons.
This has always been about love and family, and the courage and kindness of people who do hard things to help others. I hope that before you go on to read about fall events and local impact, you will join me in going down memory lane with just a few of the photos that show how our own family has grown right alongside the CAST Water Safety Foundation!
Forest Park Casket Race Update
Thank you to the Forest Park Chamber and Bobby’s Eastside for joining us for the CASKET Races on October 18th! As local families and business owners raced down the street with speedy spooky creations, our team gathered at Bobby’s to hand out candy and CAST trick-or-treat bags! We came for the trick-or-treaters but stayed for the fries as Bobby’s now serves incredible food.
Attention Local CAST Families:
Trick-or-treat at CAST is a family favorite. Swimmers receive a CAST Trick-or-Treat bag and can come in their costumes and knock on all office doors to receive special treats from our team. There are a few maintenance lessons still available for returning families if you would like to sign your swimmer up during the trick-or-treat time blocks- email the swim account for guidance. Even if your child is not swimming on Thursday, registered families are invited to join in and trick-or-treat at CAST!
Date: Thursday, October 30th
Time: 7am-10am | 3pm-7pm
Place: CAST Pool HQ in Forest Park, IL
Fun: Treats behind 3 doors for the kids
Adults: Coffee Bar (AM) & Refreshments/Mocktails (PM)
Vote: The staff has engaged in a pumpkin carving contest.
Come vote for your favorite!
CAST “Expand” Program Update:
The CAST Expand Program was created in 2024 to provide scholarship funding in new markets. As we continue to support families in need with critical funds for swim lessons, we also provide the opportunity for new instructors in training to have the hands-on experience required to earn their self-rescue instructor certification.
This fall, in partnership with ISR Master Instructor Kathy Cole, we supported the training of two new instructors who will serve MN with self-rescue lessons in their communities. Additionally, Canada’s only ISR instructor was able to join in on the professional development giving her the skills to now help train more new instructors in Canada.
The CAST Expand Program has now supported swim families and new instructor development in MN, LA, NV and CO.
We are so grateful to our donors for helping to make this effort and resulting impact possible!