blueflowgreatlakes@gmail.com to connect
ABOUT US
OUR MISSION
Our Mission is to create a culture of being in on and the water safely. We aim to provide education through media, beach front programming, in surf training, collaborative gatherings, and fundraising for safety equipment. We will be a resource to schools, youth and adult groups, as well as community First Responders that work along the lake front
HOW WE'RE DIFFERENT
What makes us different is our belief that the lake front is a safer place for all when people learn to access it safely. We believe learned skills open up the world to adventures in the Great Lakes and beyond. We support in surf skill building.
The more people along the lake shore that have training, the safer the shore and water is for everyone. Getting young people skilled and excited about accessing the lake will also help build a pipeline to lifeguards, which also builds a pipeline to other types of health and public service careers such as EMT, police, fire, medical, and P&R staff.
WHY WE DO THIS
It is estimated that less than 5% of the Great Lakes shoreline has lifeguards present during the primary summer beach season. Winter access and activities are gaining in popularity when the beach is even less populated. It is critical that people are encouraged to learn to assess conditions, properly and honestly determine their ability, as well as how to save themselves and others.
MEET THE BEACH CLINIC LEADERS
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MaryAnn Best
Level 3 Open Water Swim Coach through WOWSA. Active participant in the Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium for the past 8 years and currently a board member and lead for Indiana. She has completed a marathon swim, many other open water swims in the US, is a certified Ice Mile Swimmer, and swam in the 6th World Ice Swimming World Championship as a member of the USA Team. MaryAnn was born and raised in Miller, returning to live full time in 2015.
Beach Clinic Leader
Executive Director, BFGL Corp
Buzz Lail
Buzz is an experienced competitive kayaker and paddles on his prone board more days than not, out of Marquette Park, Indiana. He was with the Indiana Special Olympics for 15 years serving on their board and leading programming. He has been an event safety paddler many times and was a safety paddler again this spring for a local Ice Mile event.
Beach Clinic Leader
Jaclyn Hunn
You can often find Jaclyn swimming along the shores of Porter beach. She loves the Great Lakes and is looking forward to volunteering at our beach clinics this summer sharing some of her skills. She has swum several long-distance open water swim events including Mackinac Bridge Swim and the Mackinac Island Swim
Beach Clinic Leader
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Rachel Strzelinski
Miller Beach resident and ice plunging enthusiast, Rachel has a passion for water safety. She was in the water and taking swim lessons (Thanks, Mom!) at a young age. During her teenage years, she was a member of her high schools swim team. She is a nurse and on the board of the Miller Community Theatre as well. Rachel is an original member of the Miller Beach Swim Club that was created for people to meet up and enjoy Lake Michigan during the winter months. She loves all things outdoors and looks forward to seeing you on the beach!
Beach Clinic Guest Leader
Eric Kurtz
Long time Fire Chief for the Ogden Dunes Volunteer Fire Department. Eric grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan enjoying the beach and lake. He is dedicated to promoting safety in many areas including water safety. He is the Indiana Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium Regional Representative.
Beach Clinic Guest Leader
Tommy Dawson
Tommy grew up in Ohio working as a lifeguard on multiple lakes in the North and Central Ohio. Tommy is a trained USLA and ARC lifeguard. Having a strong background in competitive swimming Tommy is now a Triathlete competing in Ironman events.
Beach Clinic Guest Leader
Sylvia Collins
Long time Miller resident with a long history of boating, sailing and kayaking. When she was young, she took swim lessons at Marquette Park and is enthusiastically looking forward to volunteering at our beach clinics this summer.
Beach Clinic Leader
Rich Best
Rich enjoys the beach as well as kayaking and SUPing. He is very supportive of all water events year around. Water safety, teaching youth, and giving back to his Miller community are important in his life
Beach Clinic Leader
Alek Rhody
Alek is a Firefighter EMT with our local Portage Fire Department, where he is also a diver on the water rescue team. He has instructor certifications from hands only CPR to Basic Life Support, Waterfront Lifeguarding, and Wilderness First Aid. He was the Safety Education Coordinator for Purdue University in West Lafayette and the Waterfront Director at Indiana Dunes State Park. He currently holds certifications as a rescue diver, ice rescue technician, in addition to other technical rescue certifications. He has a passion for keeping people safe and teaching young people about the lake. We are excited to welcome Alek as a guest Leader in our Youth Beach Clinics this summer.
Beach Clinic Guest Leader