MARIETTA, Ga. – The Rotary Clubs of Cobb County gathered at the Cobb County Safety Village on May 2, 2017 for a ribbon cutting ceremony in celebration of the completion of a water safety project that began in 2015.

Some members of the Rotary Club of Vinings Cumberland had a vision to do something at the Cobb Safety Village and that idea turned into what would become the lake area that was built on the Safety Village’s campus. During the timeframe of 2015-16, funding was secured from six Rotary Clubs in Cobb County for the project. Those Rotary Clubs include: East Cobb, Marietta, Marietta Metro, North Cobb, South Cobb and Vinings Cumberland.

The lake area is designed to teach children ways to be safe when out on the water, while still having fun. Safety Village Director Allison Carter started working on ideas for the project. Deluxe Athletics was gracious to provide the "lake and sand" turf for the lake area. Then it started taking shape.

The lake area includes a replica of the Safe Kids loaner boards that can be found at lakes around Cobb County. These stations are part of the “Kids Don’t Float” program which allows children to borrow life jackets while at the lake and return at the end of their visit. Marietta Metro Rotary Club President Timothy Bailey agrees that this is an important part of the lake area. “My favorite sign says ‘Kids Don’t Float!’ This is a great way for us to join Cobb Safety Village in teaching kids (and their parents) water safety and fun,” said Bailey.

One of the goals of Rotary International is to support clean, safe water. Rotary Club of Vinings Cumberland President Neill Ferrill says, “With Rotary’s focus on providing clean water solutions worldwide and our desire to promote water safety education to all children, this partnership with the Cobb County Safety Village is a perfect fit.”

Judge Reuben Green, Rotary Club of Marietta President, feels that teaching children water safety is important for our community. “The Rotary Club of Marietta is proud to partner with the Safety Village to create this water safety project. Drowning deaths are one of the leading causes of death in young children in Georgia and being a part of teaching water safety to our school age children in Cobb County makes me proud to be a Rotarian”, said Green.

This project is not the first time the six rotary clubs have collaborated on a project. In the fall of 2015 all six Cobb Clubs - Marietta Metro, Marietta, East Cobb, North Cobb, South Cobb and Vinings Cumberland - worked together to purchase and install beds and furniture at the Center for Children and Young Adults.

They have also all participated with one another's global or other projects in some manner. One example is when Marietta Metro obtained a Rotary International global grant to purchase medical equipment for a clinic in Renacimiento, Mexico and the other clubs helped fund the project.

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