Stewie the Duck
About Stewie
This lovable mascot for water safety joined our Coalition’s drowning prevention efforts in 2016. Stewie is the focal point of two children’s books: “Stewie The Duck Learns To Swim,” and “Swimming Lessons With Stewie The Duck.”
Every year Stewie the Ducks visits Collier County preschools and VPK programs where the teachers read his "Stewie the Duck Learns to Swim" book, this book was written for children ages two through six, the book shows how to be safe near the water through the story of Stewie the Duck - a duck who wants to swim with the big ducks but is prevented from going into the water by his older sisters until he learns the water safety rules*. This book received a National Water Safety Youth Education Award from the National Water Safety Congress and is used in water safety courses around the country.
*Safety Rules:
- Don't jump in until you learn to swim
- Wear a life jacket
- A grown-up must watch you in the pool
Stewie the Duck has two apps:
If you would like to have Stewie visit your preschool or attend your event please send us an e-mail at safeandhealthychildrenscoalition@nchmd.org.
Special thanks to the Florida Drowning Prevention Foundation for sponsoring Stewie so he can visit Collier County preschools and events.
Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation
Stew Leonard III
This is Stewie, while on vacation with his family, Stewie ventured into the pool unnoticed. Within minutes, a house-wide search for Stewie ensued. Soon after, a yellow t-shirt was spotted floating in the pool. Stewie was pulled from the pool and CPR was performed but it was too late. Stewie died. Stewie was 21 months old.
In 1990, that toddler's parents, Kim and Stew Leonard, founded the Stew Leonard III Children's Charities in memory of their son. Since this time, the Foundation has raised more than $2 million dollars to go towards water safety awareness and education, including lifeguard training and providing 10,000 free or low-cost swimming lessons to children every year.
Taking a cue from the success of the foundation's water safety educational efforts, in 2006 the Leonards broadened the focus to "promoting safe and responsible growth and development in kids through nutritional awareness and water safety." The foundation changed its name to the Stew Leonard III Children's Charities to reflect this new mission.
