Day of Commitment to
Inclusive Water Safety
Mayor John Ewing will be declaring the third Sunday of May as an annual Day of Commitment to Inclusive Water Safety to change perception, provide education, and increase accessibility! Join us to celebrate this amazing declaration with a fun-filled day of games, crafting, and meeting community organizations!
Sunday, May 17th, 2026
12:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Omaha Home for Boys, 4343 N 52nd st
Our Why:
Too many people are excluded from access to aquatic settings. Whether it is because someone with sensory processing disorder is overstimulated or someone has a tendency to elope and is nonspeaking, being “invited” to leave a pool is not the answer. Some of the families All-Inclusive Aquatics work with report having been asked to leave up to 5 pools in Omaha because the facility did not feel their child had the ability to be safe.
We asked ourselves...what can we do about this? We are a small business, we don't work in law enforcement or legislation. Our answer? We can shift the conversation by educating others and creating opportunities that are accessible and inclusive. So that's what we are doing. We contacted the Omaha City Council to inform them of our experiences and they were inspired to declare the third Sunday of May as an annual “Day of Commitment to Inclusive Water Safety!”
What to expect:
12:30 pm to 3:30 pm: Families can go through activities at their own pace
**Schedule has changed slightly, Mayor John Ewing is now scheduled to read the proclamation at 1:30 pm. The event will still be 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm. **
Cost: Free, although we recommend prior registration: Attendee Sign up
Families are invited to attend with their loved one. Bring your loved one's siblings, friends, cousins, grandparents, neighbors...all are invited!
Our why: The goal of this event is to commemorate to proclamation and celebrate all that people with developmental differences are capable of when given the right accommodations and supports!
Please be aware this is our first time hosting the event so we will do all we can to support everyone in attendance.
Pool Area
Bring your swimsuit and towel to get in the pool!
We will supply lifejackets in a variety styles, sizes, and textures because we understand everyone has their own sensory preferences and developmental differences. We will also have lifeguard equipment and more than 10 kinds of supportive floats so you and your loved one can find what works best for you!
Lifeguards, instructors from All-Inclusive Aquatics, and volunteers will be available to answer questions, show you ways to support swimmers of varying abilities, and the intended way to use each float. Although floats and lifejackets will not be available for families to take home, we are happy to share where we purchased them.
Accessibility: There is a wheelchair lift and ladder in both the shallow (4 foot) and deep (12 foot) ends.
Sensory information: 4 lanes will be reserved for our event, 2 lanes will be utilized by other renters of OHB.
Gym
An interactive resource fair for families to learn how they can keep their loved one safe! Some activities include...
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UNMC's Occupational Therapy students will lead a crafting station where you can color, cut, and paste water safety rules for hands-on learning.
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The Violet Hour Foundation will share their resources for autistic individuals with high support needs and information about the PATCH program.
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Nebraska Miss Amazing will have a Photo Booth for people to practice wearing flotation devices and show off their smiles.
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Healing Pathways Psychotherapy will have a table where you can share your story about changes you would like to see to create more inclusive, accessible opportunities at pools. After the event, All-Inclusive Aquatics will take all the information and compile a resource to be shared with pools in the Omaha metro area!
Accessibility: The gym area has an ADA compliant doorway from the building entrance. There will be chairs available at each table for those who experience fatigue and our crafting station will have adaptive scissors.
Sensory information: There is a high ceiling, which may result in echoes. There will be a small sensory room available next to the gym if you would like a space to decompress.
Parking Lot
Meet the Fire Department to learn about their role in water safety emergencies! They will have a firetruck and uniforms so if your loved one is ever present during an emergency that requires the Fire Department, you can be prepared on how to best support their regulation and understanding.
Accessibility: There is an incline going toward the main parking lot, but the area where the Fire Department will be set up is all flat.
Sensory information: There is no shade over the parking lot, so bring your sunglasses and hats! The Fire Department may have lights and/or sirens on their truck sporadically throughout the event. Headphones are welcome!
Accommodations
Mobility:
The building has a ramp and the pool has a wheelchair lift.
Communication:
We will have a stand-up AAC customized to the pool setting. We will have laminated copies of it so that if you are in the pool and your loved one is unable to climb out to communicate with the stand-up AAC, they can use a laminated copy to share their thoughts. We are actively seeking an ASL interpreter who can assist during the event.
Sensory:
A small sensory room will be available and a playground is located next to the parking lot if things get too overwhelming in the building.
For additional accommodations, please email megandidulo@all-inclusiveaquatics.com