Making Water Safety Visible in Our Community

Written by guest author Mudhra Machewad, a Sammamish youth and founder of the LakeSafe Initiative, pictured with Kelly Martin, Branch Executive at the Sammamish Community YMCA.

Early in the summer of 2025, I witnessed how quickly a normal day around water could become dangerous.

A boat carrying several of our neighbors flipped unexpectedly on Lake Sammamish. My father, who does not know how to swim, was nearby and shaken by how quickly the situation escalated. Thankfully, quick action from others prevented a tragedy.

Just weeks later, our community experienced a drowning that deeply impacted families throughout the area. Conversations in schools, neighborhoods, and homes reflected a shared grief and a shared question: How can we prevent this from happening again?

In the Pacific Northwest, lakes, rivers, beaches, and waterfront parks are part of everyday life. I realized I didn't want water safety to be something we only talk about after a tragedy. If lakes are part of our life, safety needs to be part of our life too.

That realization became the foundation of the LakeSafe Initiative, a prevention-first effort focused on making water-safety education visible, accessible, and community-driven, before emergencies happen.

As a youth-led initiative, LakeSafe brings together public agencies, schools, first responders, healthcare leaders, community organizations, and families to promote awareness, preparedness, and shared responsibility around water.

LakeSafe has partnered with Washington State Parks, local governments, public health agencies, fire and rescue organizations, schools, nonprofits, and community leaders to explore practical ways to improve water safety awareness and education.

One of the most important partnerships has been with the Sammamish Community YMCA. The YMCA has long been a leader in water safety through swim lessons, aquatic programming, and community engagement. By working together, we have an opportunity to connect traditional swim education with real-world water environments, helping families understand not only how to swim, but how to stay safe wherever water is present.

I believe leadership begins with service. The heart to serve, the call to lead, and the courage to engage - that is service leadership.
Mudra Machewad
Founder, LakeSafe Initiative

On May 15, 2026, LakeSafe Confluence 2026 brought together more than 19 partner organizations, elected officials, public-health leaders, first responders, community advocates, families, and youth volunteers at Lake Sammamish State Park. During the evening, community organizations made public commitments toward water-safety initiatives for the 2026 summer season. One of the most impactful moments was the Sammamish Community YMCA's commitment of more than $30,000 toward free swim lessons and water-safety programming, helping expand access to lifesaving education for families throughout our community.

The event demonstrated what becomes possible when organizations work together toward a common goal: ensuring that every family has access to the knowledge and resources needed to stay safe around water.

Through our partnership, the Sammamish Community YMCA and LakeSafe are exploring opportunities that include:

• Interactive water-safety activities at community events
• Youth-focused education and outreach programs
• CPR and emergency preparedness education
• Seasonal awareness campaigns
• Community resource sharing and multilingual safety education

Each effort is designed to be inclusive, accessible, and prevention-focused.

As LakeSafe continues to grow, our mission remains simple: Every Lake. Every Life.

The Sammamish Community YMCA is proud to work with LakeSafe, and Mudra, to keep our neighbors and community members safe around water.