Letter to the Editor: Grateful for efforts to keep Lansing swimming pool open

To the Editor:

For a while early this spring, there was talk of not opening the swimming pool in Lansing this summer. Luckily, enough community-conscious people were able to make it happen. As a group, the Lansing aqua-size class would like to send a huge expression of thanks to all the individuals that made the pool opening a reality.

We come from Lansing, New Albin, DeSoto, Ferryville and all places in between. We, wholeheartedly, applaud the efforts of all those who made the pool opening a reality this summer.

When you think of a swimming pool, you may get a vision of young kids jumping off the board, kids of all sizes and ages cooling off on a hot day, but we would venture a guess that a group that appreciates the pool just as much or more is the group of individuals who gather three times a week at 5:00 to join in group exercise in the pool.

Most of us are women, with an occasional man brave enough to join us. Many of us have had knee surgeries or hip replacements which make aqua-size an ideal form of exercise since it does not put any weight on healing joints. All of us are grateful for the efforts of many individuals to keep the pool open so that we may benefit from the water exercise.

We came on cloudy days, on sunny days, on cold days, on hot days. Always we were greeted with a warm hello as we paid our admittance fee. We shivered when we dipped into the water, sometimes we complained, but always, by the end of the session, we were all grateful we had the opportunity to share an hour with friends and to spend an hour helping our physical selves as well. The benefits of water aerobics are numerous and we all dreaded the closing day of the pool as the fall weather approached.

We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to the many individuals who kept the pool going this summer: Lifeguards  Spencer Colsch, Maddie Galema, Trevor Harris, Raven Horstman, MaKayla Manning, Sierra Martinson, Brianna McKittrick, Grace Mitchell, Emily Scolville and Michelle Walleser; Pool managers Beth Galema and Maryanne Harris; Patty Olson for training lifeguards; Chemical person Rick Welsh; Park and Rec Board members Marlene Duffy, Dave Pleasants, Cory Winters and Kyle Walleser; Lansing City Council members Stephanie Runkle, Pat Wagner, Becky Conway,

Ross Kolsrud and Curtis Snitker; and finally, thanks to Mayor Mike Brennan and the Lansing City Office staff including City Clerk Katie Becker and Assistant City Clerk Dan Ellefson. If we have forgotten someone, please know that we are thankful for your efforts as well.

We ardently look forward to next summer and hope that, once again, opening the Lansing pool will be an effort worth working for. We know we’ll be there for sure!

Signed,
The Grateful Lansing
Aqua-size Group:
Lynn David, Marilu Baker, Katie Dodge-Hanson,
Susan Cantine-Maxson, Mary Palmborg,
Bev Clearman, Bonnie and Sue Flick, Barb Fore, Karen Hudson, Lynn O’Hara,
Candy Peck, Jean Sandry, Mary Severson, Jan Stute, Gail Terwilliger, Arla Wagner, Nancy and Hannah
Walleser, Patti Wellendorf, Essie Welsh, Betty Zarwell, Shirley Darling, Edie Hogan