This is a plea stemming from a deeply personal concern. My wife has been an aqua instructor and swimming lesson instructor in Elizabethtown for several years. As a 24-year U.S. Army veteran and retiree, she has found great joy in teaching young children of Hardin County how to swim. But today, her crucial service, along with the opportunities for fitness and life-saving skills for our local children, is threatened. E-town Swim and Fitness is closing; it is therefore imperative that we hasten the process of building a new YMCA on land already allocated for this purpose.

Hardin County, Kentucky, is home to over 100,000 residents — many of whom lack access to important health, wellness, and recreational facilities due to the impending closure. Provision of funding for a new YMCA will not only continue to promote fitness and well-being among our residents, but it will also provide our children, the future of Hardin County, with an essential life-saving skill - swimming.

We urge the State of Kentucky, Hardin County, and The City of Elizabethtown to consider this urgent petition. A community where swimming lessons continue seamlessly is a safe community where our children thrive. Please realize the urgency of this matter and provide immediate funding for the new YMCA in Hardin County. Support our community, our children, and maintain opportunities for teaching indispensable life skills. Sign the petition today to keep aqua instruction alive in Hardin County!