 |
| The Board of Directors that made the pool happen! |
Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!
I must say that I admire and appreciate anyone with a full time job who can also update their blog on a daily basis. Some of the bloggers I read update every day. Unfortunately, I am not one of them. My job at the pool has evolved to the point that the busy-ness follows me home, even though I am exhausted from the planning, supervising, lifeguarding, aqua fitness classes and teaching of swimming lessons.
For example, yesterday after coming home from a long week of work, I still had four hours worth of swimming lesson scheduling to complete for our next session. I really did not have to finish it between 7 and 11 pm, but if I hadn't the task would have loomed over my head for the next two days. Now it is done and I have time to blog!
The job is going well. We have over 150 children signed up for lessons between March and May and are now taking registrations for the May-June session. Aqua fitness classes are well attended as are the lane swims for adults. Today marked the first day of March Break with the Public Swim at capacity! People are thankful to have a facility in their town and for the most part are happy with the programming.
Sadly, it has been a very cold winter and the costs of heating water and air have skyrocketed out of control. Township funding, corporate sponsorships and individual donations are not what the organization expected and consequently the facility is not sustainable. The board members are optimistic and many fund raising activities are now in full swing.
I have been organizing a ten hour Team Relay. Five teams have been formed with 10-20 swimmers in each and everyone is looking for pledges. I am captaining the Hubsters, a combined team of staff and members of the facility. We also have a Masters team, an Aqua fitness team (the Bubblers), a Lane Swimmers team (the Geezers) and a team from a local gym. The goal is to raise $10 000. The event is on March 22 from 2 pm through until midnight. I am optimistic!
You may wonder how all this activity has affected my personal life. Believe me, it is not conducive to satisfactory down time. I am looking for ways to reduce stress and increase energy. Recently I have even changed my diet to exclude copious amounts of caffeine, fat, sweets and wheat. I have increased my activity by including daily walks or cross county skis and some swimming. I am trying to read more, visit with neighbours and just peace out. So far there is not a lot of change, but I hope that turns a corner soon.
My mother used to tell me that this too shall pass.
I met a woman yesterday who was bringing her grandsons to the pool for a swim. She looked tired and worn out and I immediately felt empathy for her. We chatted and she told me that she would be back to the pool once she had some medical problems sorted out. Upon further chatting she shared that she is going through testing for cancer and so far it is in her lungs, spine and liver. With tears in her eyes she explained the it is what it is and that she is going to get through it. We shared a tear or two and a warm hug. I wished I could have done more...
In the meantime I am grateful to have a job, friends and family members too.
Most of all, I am thankful to my husband. Without his support I would probably be sitting at home feeling sorry for myself. For now, that is not an alternative. There is still so much to be done.
Until next time,
Bee Rich
 |
| Bee on guard! |
