Swim for Gio Foundation helps valley children get self rescue training

A set of 5-year-old triplets from Indio can now float and swim thanks to help from the Swim For Gio Foundation. They’re the first children to benefit from the foundation’s scholarship program.

Swim for Gio partners with David Heil, an Infant Swimming Resource instructor to provide free or low-cost one-on-one self rescue training for children 6 months to 6 years old. The eight-week ISR training costs about $90 per class plus a registration fee.

“It helped a lot. That was the only way I could afford lessons. I would’ve never been able to afford three kids at once,” Lindsay McDermott said.

The family met and thanked Missy Castillo, the Swim for Gio founder, on Monday. Her son, Gio, drowned in the family swimming pool in October 2014. He took swim classes with his mother, but never received water survival training.

“It’s emotional. It’s good. It’s just nice to see my son’s name being carried out,” Castillo said. ” I think it’s exciting to see kids learn the skills they need and to have a family be able to have the resources here in the Coachella Valley.”

Gio’s little sister, Penelope, was in her second week of lessons, learning the skills she’ll need.

“Just seeing how far she’s come in just two weeks, it’s really amazing. You can tell she’s learning every day,” Castillo said.

Castillo encourages you not to wait until it’s too late. The foundation is there to help.

“I just think it’s amazing she’s doing this, and she’s, if she hasn’t already, she’s going to help a lot of families. I’m really grateful for her helping us,” said McDermott.

For more information about the Swim for Gio Foundation, got to www.swim4gio.com