Personal Giving

Buddy has a new friend

Thank you for considering the Lifesaving Society as your charity of choice. Your gift enables us to fund programs such as our Water Smart® public education campaign, and the Swim to Survive® training program which teach Canadians to prevent (and save themselves in) water-related accidents. You can make a donation through:

  • Annual and monthly gifts
  • In memoriam and tribute gifts
  • Employee/workplace giving
  • Corporate matching gifts program
  • United Way

The Society issues tax receipts for donations of $20 or more. We accept cash, cheque or credit cards (Visa, MasterCard and American Express). We acknowledge all donors of $25 or more in our annual report unless you advise us otherwise.

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Donor Clubs:

Friends of the Society give $25 to $99.
Bronze Club members give $100 to $299.
Merit Club members give $300 to $499.
Distinction Club members give $500 or more.

You can direct your gift to any of our activities or projects, including:

Water Smart®
Swim to Survive
Olive Pretty Archives
Brian Jones Memorial Fund
Hillary M. Weston Bronze Medallion Fund
Royce Crossley-Hickman NLS Fund
Lifesaving Sport
Training Programs
Lifeguard Championships
Club Development
National Lifesaving Team

Maximizing tax deductions

  1. Revenue Canada requires that donors donate a minimum of $200 annually to receive a tax credit.
  2. If you do not donate more than $200 a year, you can either: a) hold on to donation receipts for up to 5 years until they total over $200, or b) pass them onto a spouse - with donations over $200 between you and your spouse, one person can take a full tax advantage of the donations.

Contact us

For more information, please contact

Laurie Priestman

or

Kelly Manoukas

at the Lifesaving Society by phone 416-490-8844, fax 416-490-8766.

Our mailing address is:
Lifesaving Society
400 Consumers Road
Toronto, Ontario M2J 1P8

Projects and Activities

Water Smart® is a public education campaign with the overall mission of making Canadians "water smart." The campaign delivers personal lifesaving education messages to modify high-risk behaviours and increase Canadians' awareness of the responsibilities that individuals assume when recreating in, on or near water or ice. Your support will assist the Society to continue to provide Ontarians with Water Smart messages, such as the importance of wearing a lifejacket, the dangers of cold water and the dangers of drinking and boating.

The Lifesaving Society Swim to Survive® program provides the essential minimum skills required to survive an unexpected fall into deep water. The goal is to provide Swim to Survive education free to every child in Canada. Since its inception in 2005, over 325,000 Ontario elementary school children have received Swim to Survive training. Your support will assist us to train thousands more.

The Lathwell Fund for the Olive Pretty Archives is designed to attract and direct funds and artifacts for the collection, preservation and display of materials important to the historical record of the Society's lifesaving work. The fund is named after Mrs. Jean Lathwell, the Society's long-serving archivist and historian. The fund honours Mrs. J.M. (Olive) Pretty, Secretary-Treasurer of the Ontario Branch from 1932 to 1956. Your support will assist to preserve the Lifesaving Society's history.

Brian Jones Memorial Fund. In 1993, the Society instituted a fund to honour the memory of Brian Jones, a highly respected member of the Society who died in a tragic aquatic accident in July 1992. The purpose of the fund is to provide boat safety education to the residents of eastern Ontario. Your support will assist to make Ontarians Boat Smart.

Hillary M. Weston Bronze Medallion Award. In 2001, the Society instituted the Hilary M. Weston - BM Award in grateful recognition of our patron, former Lieutenant Governor, The Honourable Hillary M. Weston. Funds raised are awarded to youth who are unable financially to participate in the Society's training programs - specifically the Bronze Medallion.  Under the award scheme, the Lifesaving Society provides the selected youth the Bronze Medallion examination and the Canadian Lifesaving Manual. The Society invites the Affiliate Members, under whose auspices the award winner takes the Bronze Medallion training, to waive its registration fees. To date, 159 candidates have received the Lifesaving Society Bronze Medallion training. Your support will assist us to continue training our youth.

Royce Crossley-Hickman Fund - National Lifeguard Service Award. Since 2010, the Society's Royce Crossley-Hickman Fund has honoured the memory of a young athlete and lifeguard from Simcoe County by financially supporting qualified youth in the County of Simcoe who otherwise would be financially unable to participate in the Society's lifesaving training programs - specifically the National Lifeguard Service Award. The Society invites the County of Simcoe Affiliate Members, under whose auspices the recipient takes the NLS training, to waive the NLS course registration fee. Your support will assist us to train youth with NLS training.

Training Programs. Each year, the Lifesaving Society certifies thousands of instructors who provide the leadership for our lifesaving and lifeguard training programs. Your contribution will support the mission of the Lifesaving Society by developing and delivering training programs and educational products to prevent drowning and water-related injury. Your support will assist to train Ontarians to save themselves and others in aquatic emergencies.

Swim for Life® Program. The Lifesaving Society Swim for Life program is a complete learn-to-swim program from Parent & Tot through Leadership.  The focus is on in-water practice to develop solid swimming and skills. Your support will assist us to provide drowning prevention education among all groups in the Swim for Life program.

Lifesaving Sport. The Lifesaving Society is the Canadian governing body for lifesaving sport - a sport recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the Commonwealth Games Federation. Lifesaving sport is unique: it is the only sport in which skills are learned for humanitarian purposes. Athletes compete at the provincial, national and international level. Your support assists to fund the development of coaching and officiating programs.

Lifeguard and Lifesaving Championships. We organize annual championships for age-groups, senior and masters athletes as well as offering officiating and coaching certification programs. Provincial championships showcase the skills and professionalism of lifeguards. Your support assists to fund annual competitions for pool and waterfront lifesaving and lifeguard championships.

Club Development. The Junior Lifeguard Club has been designed by the Lifesaving Society for a serious purpose - but the process is pure fun for members eight to 15 years of age! It offers a unique aquatic alternative for kids who love the water and who want more "lessons." These kids are active in aquatics - especially quick learners and those caught between levels.  Junior Lifeguard Club members work to develop and improve swimming and other aquatic skills with emphasis on swimming, lifesaving knowledge, leadership and teamwork, community education, competition and personal fitness. Your support will allow us to continue the development of Junior Lifeguard Clubs.

National Lifesaving Team. Your support will assist Canada's National Lifesaving Team to participate in international championships.