Learn to Swim makes a splash

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / News Editor for the Southern Standard

These three little guys are all smiles as they wait for some personal instruction. They are, from left, Michael Stembridge, Casey Taylor, and Grant Walker. (Charles W. Johnson photos)

The Warren County chapter of the Red Cross and Gilley Pool teamed up once again to get local residents into the swim of things this summer with the organization’s 2005 Learn to Swim program. Becky and Kyle Phillips are directors of the program which has been going on for more than three decades now. The couple has been involved for over 20 years themselves.

“We worked with Mr. Gilley for many years,” Becky said, speaking of Bill Gilley who, along with wife Jean, pioneered the local swimming program and for whom the new pool is named.

Becky says Learn to Swim has been quite successful this year with a large group of people taking the classes.

“Between the two sessions we’ve had a total of between 500 and 550 people,” Becky said. “And that’s ages 6-years-old all the way through adults.”

Becky says the classes are actually very popular with adults.

“We have a very large group this year,” Becky said. “We have probably 50 to 60 adults taking the classes this year, which is a good number.”

One of the most important aspects of the classes is the volunteers, Becky said, noting the Red Cross and Gilley Pool couldn’t hold the program without them.

“We have around thirty, or maybe a little more, volunteers,” Becky said, “instructors and instructor aides in the program. And we have all kinds of people that are instructors and aides. We have everything from doctors and attorneys, to students, teachers, funeral directors, just a variety of people that are part of our volunteer program that come to help us and teach classes.”

The Learn to Swim program consists of two sessions with two weeks of classes each. There are three classes per night lasting for one hour each.

“So you would come to class for an hour, five nights a week for two weeks straight,” Becky said.

The couple says being involved in the program over the years has been very rewarding.

“The best part is knowing that maybe you’re doing something that going to help save somebody’s life someday,” Becky said. “Maybe they’re going to gain a skill that’s going to prevent an accident somewhere along the way.”

Becky says its also rewarding to see former students who are now instructors, and former students that are now bringing their children, and in some cases grandchildren, to Gilley Pool for Red Cross swimming lessons.