Comfort Keepers Ministry Inc. (CKM) is kicking off a number of projects beginning with the return of their Cool Summers project and the Safety Swim Day (SSD) event.
According to Lauren Siebert, president of CKM, the SSD slated for June 11, is an event designed to teach the basics of swimming to young children and to provide them with a new life jacket after their lesson.
“Staci McHenry is our instructor and this year the Cherokee Village Townhouse Board has graciously agreed to let us use their pool for a day to teach this vital skill to children. Staci teaches them how to float on their back which is really, the best prevention if you tire out or panic while in the water. If you can do nothing else, you can float on your back and rest until help comes or you’re able to begin to move again,” Siebert said. “We have so many bodies of water in the area, and it is so easy for something to happen in the blink of an eye. This is something we can do to help prevent a tragedy.”
Siebert said the organization formed in 2014, remaining under the umbrella of Highland Assembly of God until 2020 when the organization became its own 501-c3-nonprofit.
“We have done a lot of projects over the years and this year, we have already executed a number of projects including heaters and firewood earlier in the season, we launched the Growing Hope project to provide vegetable plants to families, we’re gearing up for our Safety Swim Day set for June 11and now it is time to prepare for fans this summer.”
The board members are Pam Rowland, Jessie Friend, Laura Smith, Shaylynn Lane, Susan Jett, Cham Buchanan, Hazelle Whited and Kasey Carter.
For several years, the fan project was a staple for the ministry, however; like many of the CKM projects, the goal is to find long term solutions to short term problems.
“Through partnerships, we are able to make these projects become realities, but we may not do the same project each year. It really depends on the needs of the community at the time. As needs change, we try to meet those needs, but cannot do it without the help of the community” Siebert said. “We have about 40 fans this year to give out. The hope is to help more specifically the elderly or those with young children to prevent heat exhaustion or heat stroke.”
Siebert said donations for any of the ministry’s projects are welcome, and she would like to thank the community for their continued support.
“We’d made a social media post stating the goal we had for funding to purchase life vests and any money donated for that project that goes over the cost will be rolled over to be used to purchase jackets for next year. It is the same for any of our projects, fans, firewood, food… whatever it is,” Siebert said. “I will be honest; I have not done a great job keeping tabs on the numbers over the years… but I do know this. Since our inception, we have given out more than 300 heaters, 250 fans, we’ve taught over 200 children to swim and provided close to 300 life jackets. Through partners, we’ve been able to provide Christmas boxes to more than 190 senior citizens, firewood to over 300 families, plants have gone out to more than I can count because they’re being distributed in three counties. We’ve been able to provide emergency relief. None of this would be possible without the partners we have and the support of the community.”
If you have need of a fan or would like to be placed on the wait list for the Safety Swim Day for this or next year, please contact Lauren Siebert by phone or text at 870-373-1233.
“We only have a couple spaces left for the Safety Swim Day but I will make a wait list in case we have someone cancel,” Siebert said.
Lauren is a an award-winning journalist who decided after 10 years of newspaper experience to venture out. Hallmark Times was born.
