RBC Insurance has formed a three-year partnership with Swimming Canada, the national governing body of competitive swimming, to help teach Canadian kids how to swim.
The partnership includes support for Canada’s Swim Team, an initiative between RBC Insurance, Swimming Canada, the Canadian Red Cross, the Lifesaving Society and the Canadian Medical Association. The goal is to raise awareness about the importance of swimming as a lifelong skill and teach 700,000 Canadian children to swim 25 metres. According to Canada’s Swim Team partners, most drownings are preventable when a child can swim 25 metres.
“While RBC is engaged in many different sponsorship opportunities and community events, RBC Insurance hasn’t really had a signature sponsorship,” said Lauragaye Jackson, head of marketing at RBC Insurance. “The RBC Insurance Group is excited to get behind a very important cause that aligns with our life and health business.”
Canadian Olympic gold medallist Mark Tewksbury, along with 2012 Olympic finalist and RBC Olympian Martha McCabe and 2012 Olympic finalist Brittany MacLean were on hand for the announcement on May 13 at the University of Toronto varsity pool, where a group of local children became the first of 700,000 young Canadians to receive their official “Canada’s Swim Team” membership cards.
During the event, RBC announced a $10,000 donation to the Junior Blues Adapted Aquatic Program at the University of Toronto for children with physical, mental and developmental disabilities as part of the Learn to Play Project. The program helps ensure that all kids have the opportunity to learn to swim.
Canada’s Swim Team program will be offered by pools that deliver Red Cross or Lifesaving programs. Children who are already in swim programs and can swim 25 metres can receive a Canada Swim Team membership card.
The sponsorship is part of RBC’s Learn to Play Project, which will donate $750,000 to community-based organizations across Canada over the five years to improve the well-being of children.
