MOUNT VERNON—Over the past few weeks, Mount Vernon’s elementary school students have met a new friend. His name is Josh, and he’s an otter.
The baby otter has a message for the students: Be safe around water.
Josh relays his message through his friend Sarah Goslee Reed, a Kokosing Valley Rotary Club member.
She reads the book “Josh the Baby Otter,” written by Blake Collingsworth. Collingsworth and his wife, Kathy, lost their 3-year-old son, Joshua, to a drowning accident in 2008.
“We have lots of rivers and lakes and flooding that comes with heavy rain,” Reed explained. “During the program, we talk a little bit about wearing safety vests and boating, canoeing, and kayaking.
“We also talk about the importance of learning to float and always swimming with a buddy,” she added.
“Of the many projects Kokosing Valley Rotary chose, and there are 26, Josh the Otter is so impactful for young students and their parents,” KVRC President Jane Fricke said.
“Seeing this delightful presentation helps students and their parents understand water safety and actually saves these precious lives.”
Partners in prevention
Drowning is the number one cause of accidental death for children 1 to 4 years of age. The Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation created the Float 4 Life program to provide children with the skills necessary to survive a water emergency.
Headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, the foundation offers materials reminding youngsters to never go around water by themselves.
The city’s stormwater utility gave the students “Josh the Baby Otter” coloring books to reinforce the book’s message.
Providing the coloring books also helps the city fulfill the public outreach criteria the Ohio EPA requires under the city’s MS4 stormwater permit.
City Engineer Brian Ball said that the city has had difficulty with public outreach in the past.
“We are working with the Kokosing Valley Rotary Club to get the word out about water safety. This year we have had some hard spring rain, and storm water can be very dangerous,” he said.
The US Army Corps of Engineers, the US Coast Guard, and the USA Swimming Foundation also partner in the water safety program.
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