After more than 50 years of Coupeville Lions running swim lessons each summer, the club has decided to change things around.

The club will no longer fit all the swimming lessons into a two-week period this summer at Camp Casey, but will partner with the facility to offer five two-week sessions.

Lion member Molly Hughes said the decision was made after years of competing with other swim programs on the island.

When lessons were first started, they were the only option on the island.

Over the years, additional pools have been built and the club now has to compete.

At its height, the program had 200 children participating, Hughes said. Last year, the club served 100.

“We’ve always run it as a service project,” she said. “We don’t make money from it.”

In fact, the project has always cost the club money.

This year, the club will take its budgeted swim lesson funds and use them to hire additional aids for Camp Casey’s regular sessions.

Hughes said this lowers the ratio of aids-to-children and gives students more one-on-one learning.

The club is also using its budget to offer scholarship assistance to those who might have trouble affording the $45 lesson fee.

“It’s a big, big change for the Lions to not have its own swim lessons after 54 years,” Hughes said. “But we have the opportunity to help more kids learn to swim.”

Registration for the lessons starts Wednesday, May 14. Sessions start in June and run through Aug. 28. Children must be 4 years old to participate.

Sessions are 30 minutes long and run Monday through Thursday. Camp Casey will offer four morning sessions and one afternoon session.

“We’re hoping by doing this we can get more kids in the water,” Hughes said. “Camp Casey runs a really great program and we’re really excited about this.”

Parents can register their children by going to the Camp Casey office, calling at 360-678-5050 or going online to spu.edu/caseypool.

To apply for scholarship assistance, go to the Camp Casey office.