Joey Vining believes drowning is preventable, and he has made it his mission to help families keep children safe around water. As founder and president of Children’s Water Safety Awareness, he leads an all-volunteer organization that provides free swim lessons, life jackets and water safety education to families across Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. Mary parishes.

Joey’s mission grew from personal tragedy. After losing his grandson to drowning in 2016 and seeing other families face the same heartbreak, he knew something had to change. In 2017, he joined with additional families affected by drowning to help prevent others from experiencing the same loss.

Since then, Joey has worked tirelessly to make water safety resources available to every family. Through Children’s Water Safety Awareness, he provides free swim lesson vouchers, distributes life jackets and brings water safety education directly to schools, community events and local pool owners. He takes every opportunity to teach families the simple steps that can help save lives.

Joey’s persistence has helped create a culture where water safety is talked about, taught and practiced. Since 2023, Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. Mary parishes have not experienced a child drowning fatality. But Joey knows prevention is never finished. He continues to answer every call, teach every lesson and share the same message, hoping every child who goes near the water makes it home safely. In Joey’s words, “If we can save one life, it’s all worth it!”