Dear Prospective Contributor:

The Baby Otter Scholarship and Education Fund (BOSEF) is a proposed offshoot of the Turn Kick Reach® Swimming Academy and Baby Otter Andre Dawson Aquatic Center. The current for-profit entity, Baby Otter Andre Dawson Aquatic Center is the result of over 75 years of combined experience teaching all ages from 3 months to senior citizens.

The TKR (Turn Kick Reach®) Swimming Program is a proprietary teaching program developed and trademarked by the company’s principals during the past 38 years. The program was developed after one of the principles was unable to find any program that would teach her 2 year old to swim. This child had no fear of the water and would just walk into the pool thinking it was a game. The other principal became involved ten years later after her daughter was found at the bottom of a pool and had to be resuscitated. Since that time the for-profit entity has been promoting drowning awareness, pool and swimming safety, and teaching people to swim using the TKR method through Baby Otter. In 2008 Baby Otter received it’s own State and National Certification for its excellence in aquatics.  The program allows a loving and secure environment which enables children to learn in just five days focusing on drowning prevention.

Over the years, Turn, Kick, Reach® has been approached by both underprivileged and special needs individuals and groups, either directly or through referrals from previous clients, parents, teachers and other entities familiar with the success of the program, wanting services provided to these different groups. As time and resources were available Baby Otter provided free training and classes to as many of these children and adults as possible. From these first few classes, the demand for this special training has continued to grow, culminating in the formation of this new non-profit program dedicated to reaching this underserved segment of society. Hence, Baby Otter Scholarship and Education Fund, Inc. was formed.

Over the past ten years, awareness of the therapeutic and medical benefits of aquatic training for special needs children and adults has become more acute. BOSS has had significant success with all types of special need individuals, including autistic children, Down Syndrome children, and those affected by blindness, deafness and cerebral palsy.

In developing and researching how to extend the TKR program to this segment of the community, it was determined that because of the special needs of all of these individuals they learned better in their own environment. Bringing our program to the community with private instructors going directly to the home was essential.  The ease for parents and the comfortable surroundings became the foundation for Florida’s Premiere Traveling Swim School.

There has been significant community and corporate interest that helped create the need for and gave rise to the creation of this non-profit entity. The parents of our infants and child graduates have encouraged us to develop more special need programs. Many medical professionals, educators, and even local civic and political leaders are aware of the program and have promised support and participation. Several major corporations and organizations have pledged support through sponsorship’s and fund-raising activities.

We have established a scholarship programs named in memory of one of our students who lost her battle with cancer “The Arielle Scholarship for Underprivileged Children”. The third is our newly established scholarship program, “The Foster Care Scholarship Program.” Our Mission is for every child in foster care and children who age out of foster care to have the privilege to learn how to save themselves if they fell into a body of water.

In Broward and Palm Beach counties there are over 24,000 children in foster care due to neglect, abuse, abandonment or a combination. Every day more children come into care and our communities are struggling to make an impact or find homes for these children. Many children don’t find forever families or homes and age out of foster care at 18. Unfortunately many children in foster care become vulnerable to Human Trafficking in Florida, where we are one of the leading states for trafficking in America. We want to provide not only the skill of swimming but to be a part of the initiative to prevent and bring awareness to Human Trafficking and to equip each child with confidence, a hobby, a sport, exercise, social skills, and an avenue for future aquatic careers.

We are seeking donations at this time to make this a reality. Please contribute to this wonderful cause and/or share with family and friends to help us help others who need our services.

We are thanking you in advance for your generous donation.

YOUR DONATION CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A CHILD’S LIFE.
PLEASE HELP US MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Respectfully,
Baby Otter Scholarship and Education Fund (BOSEF), Inc.