Five years ago, the lives of one local family were changed forever.
In 2020, Ash Napolitano and Matt Boyle lost their two-year-old son, Hunter Boyle, when he fell into a nearby dam and drowned on August 12.
Since then, the couple have dedicated their efforts to ensure no other families have to live through the same experience.
In partnership with KidSafe Victoria and KidSafe Australia, the Hunter Boyle Children's Swim Program stands as a beacon of hope, committed to keeping children safe in and around water.
“They do a lot of work with us... they were the driving force behind getting the program up and running,” Ms Napolitano said.
“And the partnership with them comes with really great platforms and opportunities to spread awareness about drowning and prevention of drowning.”
The Hunter Boyle Children’s Swim Program has provided more than 40 children in need with free swimming lessons and the equipment they need, culturally appropriate swimwear for local mothers, six swim teacher scholarships to help address the shortage of swim teachers in the region, and vital water safety education and resources to families.
Their first significant fundraiser in 2023, the Night Night Moon Gala Ball, saw just over $20,000 raised during the evening alone.
Now, they’re back at it again, hoping to launch the ball sometime this year.
To turn their vision into reality, Ms Napolitano and Mr Boyle are calling on the community for a helping hand.
“We’ve been trying for ages to get sponsors on board, and I totally get that everything in the world at the moment is costing a lot of money, and money’s tight for a lot of people,” Ms Napolitano said.
“But I’m hoping that there’s some businesses out there that would be willing and happy to be able to sponsor us so we can continue our work.
Ms Napolitano said some families may struggle to afford swimming lessons.
“If we can prevent other children from drowning, and going through what we went through, then that’s how we know we’re winning.”
To learn more about the program, visit the website at tinyurl.com/mr24ff9b
To become a sponsor, contact Ash Napolitano on fundraising@kidsafevic.com.au or 0423 578 266