Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation

The Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children under the age of 5 and #2 cause of unintentional death for all children under the age of 14 (Centers For Disease Control and Prevention). The foundation is focusing on preventing these tragedies from occurring.

Foundation's Mission:
Our mission is to educate children and adults worldwide about water safety through the utilization of drowning prevention campaigns & early childhood water safety training.

Foundation's Vision:
Our vision is to eliminate drowning through water safety education and awareness, which will be attained by creating a generational change in the way children and adults perceive bodies of water.

Our goal is to educate children with a fun and simple message:
TO STAY AWAY FROM WATER UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT.

“Josh the Baby Otter” was created to help children comprehend and remember this important message. Ultimately, we want to create a water safety behavior for all children that will be passed on from generation to generation.

We have already distributed tens of thousands of copies of the book to daycares, preschools, and kindergarten classrooms across Lincoln and around the country. With ongoing support, we will continue our efforts to incorporate this life saving message into every educational curriculum in the United States and beyond. We believe the book; “Josh the Baby Otter” has and will continue to save countless children’s lives.

 

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Joshua's Story

June 1st 2008

On a warm spring day in June during a family gathering at our home Joshua slipped out of sight for just a few short moments. He was quickly discovered in the backyard pool, unconscious and unresponsive. Family immediately started CPR and he was life flighted to Children’s Hospital in Omaha. After three days of lying by his side in the hospital Joshua was taken off life support and passed away shortly there after. We know Joshua would have been a great young man if given the opportunity. Therefore we decided to create the Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation in his honor and from that day forward we committed to solving the problem of drowning. Joshua’s legacy will continue through the education of parents and children to keep them safe in and around water with new, innovative, safety education training programs and water awareness campaigns.

“Too Brief Here On Earth, But His Impact Will Last Forever…”

In loving memory of our beloved son Joshua,

Kathy & Blake Collingsworth

To view more information please go to http://www.joshuamemorial.org/.