The memories of summer days in the Elgin swimming pool are being shared around town as fundraising continues for the Elgin swimming pool renovation project.
Longtime pool manager Sue Vanis and some of her current pool staff talked about what the pool has meant to them over the years. “I started working at the pool when I was 16,” said Vanis. She continued with “I learned to swim in this pool….Connie Seier and Mary Harsin taught me. I have wonderful memories of the pool.”
Lifeguards Katie Polk, Christian Lundgren and Lydia Behnk echoed Vanis’ sentiments about the pool.
“I always grew up around a pool, always loved it,” said Polk. “The pool, working with the lifeguards, has been fulfilling to my summer. It gives me kinda like a getaway from camps (track) and all that.” She especially likes working lessons (Red Cross, Petersburg) with the younger kids.
“I kinda grew up at this pool,” Lundgren says. Noting that Vanis was his swimming instructor, his hours spent learning to swim are some of his best memories. “It was probably harder to get me out of the pool than getting me into the pool. I never want to wanted to stop swimming.”
Behnk has grown up with the pool basically in her back yard. “One o’clock, every day like clockwork, I would come here and live here basically during the summertime,” she said. She especially loved learning “chicken, airplane, rocket” (elementary backstroke) from Vanis. At this point, Vanis, Lundgren and Behnk gave a demonstration of “chicken, airplane, rocket” in unison. As a high schooler, she continues to take time almost daily to enjoy the swimming pool.
As of Monday, the pool fund has received 102 donations of various amounts. The community and former residents continue to be supportive of the pool renovation project! Among donors are the Bank of Elgin, John and Jeanne Knievel, Gladys Bennett-in memory of Leonard Bennett, Don and LeeAnn Skillstad, Steve and Barb Finn, Greg and Deb Tharnish and Jim and Mary Baum.
Only a few of the tax credits available through the City of Elgin remain available. With a donation of $2,500 or more made to the City of Elgin, donors can receive a $1,000 tax credit to the State of Nebraska. This credit must be used within the next five years and will result in a 40 percent return on your investment.
