NORWALK – Since Stew Leonard Jr. and his wife Kim lost their 2-year-old son Stewie to a drowning accident 16 years ago, they have dedicated themselves to promoting water safety, and Stew Leonard Jr. visited the Norwalk YMCA's summer camp at Marvin Elementary School Wednesday morning to read their second children's water safety book, "Swimming Lessons with Stewie the Duck."

Stewie the Duck himself accompanied Leonard wearing a red-and-blue life preserver, to the excited cheers of eager children who demanded his autograph. "What we try to do here is alert them to how dangerous the water can be," Leonard said, adding that it is important for younger kids to know water guidelines, and older kids to understand how best to protect their younger cohorts.

The book, which uses animal characters like Stewie, Avery the Otter and Cameron the Frog to teach kids about the basics of swimming and how not to go in the water without knowing how to swim, came out in June and won the National Water Safety Congress Youth Education Award. It includes a song on CD with kid-friendly swimming lyrics set to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."

Leonard said one mother told him her 3-year-old ventured out to the pool unattended, but came back safely, telling her he knew to stay away from the water because of the "Stewie" safety program. "That's the cool part," he said. "That's what I love hearing." Leonard's Water Safety Foundation has donated $25,000 to $30,000 annually to the swimming lessons provided year-round by the YMCA, said Y Executive Director Debbie Greenwood.

The YMCA Camp Sunrise, also called "Beach Camp," attracted more children aged kindergarten through 13 years this year than before, Greenwood said. Some 880 children -- a 25 percent increase of mainly Norwalk residents -- enrolled over the summer in four two-week sessions. That number could increase, as enrollment is still open for an additional last week before school, to help working parents who need childcare. About 200 attend the camp each day, play sports, do arts and crafts and have daily swimming lessons from certified instructors, Greenwood said.

The Y also cooperates with the SoNo Seaport Association and teaches children about marine biology while they're at the beach. Swimming and frequent trips to Calf Pasture Beach from nearby Marvin School are "the single largest reason why parents want their kids to come here," she explained. "That's what attracted people. It's been a great summer." The camp costs $375 per child for 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. care all summer, or $335 for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.