Now that the Summer Swim Class Chaos - a condition
that recurs annually - has passed, it's time to kick back and review what the
local Red Cross has accomplished in the
past year (2002). We operate on a fiscal year that runs from July 1 through June
30, and Doris Shoemaker used to spend several days making a final tally of our
activities for the annual
statistical report before it was sent to the national ARC. Our part-time administrative
assistant, Stacy Hammersley, does all our data entry. Let me take a moment to
commend our administrative staff, that handful of volunteers and a part-timer,
who braved the hectic pace of our
summer programs: Mary Lou Crouch, Caroline North, Betty Sinclair, Bud Worman
-- and of course, Doris and Stacy. Their smiles and desire to help remained intact
despite the stress of
processing more than 350 applications for swimming lessons while carrying out
their routine duties. Some days, we fielded in excess of 50 telephone calls and
walk-ins -- in a four-hour
period. That's not an easy task, when each call entails gathering information
and providing answers to numerous questions. But our office staff proves up
to the challenge
each summer.
Our Water Safety Instructors (WSI) were the ones "down in the trenches", and they were wonderful. Patient and caring, the WSIs did their best to make sure the necessary skills were learned by their students. Not to be forgotten, the vigilant young people who serve as lifeguards and aides during our lessons have our sincere appreciation. All of these individuals deserve a big tip of the Red Cross hat!
Special thanks go to the generous people who donated the use of their swimming pool! They made it possible for our swim instruction to happen. Without their support a lot of kids and quite a few adults would not have the opportunity to learn vital aquatic skills. We also thank Camp Happyland (Salvation Army) for the use of their pool for our Lifeguard Training classes.
Of the approximately 1,500 individuals who receive Red Cross health and safety training from use each year, nearly one-fourth of them are students during the two months of swim classes. Is it any wonder we refer to summer as chaotic?
Written by: Kathy Snyder, Executive Director
Published: Fall 2002