May Day Occupation of the Rankin Aquatic Center

     Patty Lorick started our email chatter with her email telling us we had water aerobics teachers ready for all three days.  We had been down to the wire with only one instructor for May and we needed three, but with this news we all started "happy dancing".  

     The Rankin Aquatic Center Partners (RACP) has been completing many tasks to help the beginning of the pool's season get off to a good start.  Distributing flyers at Sunday Farmer's Market, creating the flyer for this water bill mailing, planning visits with Preschools and anything we could think of to promote and advertise our new pool.  

     As May 1 got closer, the excitement grew.  Mary and I arrived at the pool around 3 p.m. and as the others arrived there were smiles and hugs all around.  Patty and the lifeguards were busily rolling up the pool covers and moving the lanes.  Andrea, our instructor from last year, came to teach on the first day and introduce us to our two new instructors for Tuesdays and Thursdays.  The music started and everyone began getting into the pool.  Before I entered I grabbed my camera and took a few photos to share.  The water felt so good, but it was more than that!  It was the joy of setting out on a mission and sharing it with a wonderful group that became a community.  Through our purposeful diligence we proved to the City that we were not critics, but advocates.  

     The Martinez Community Swim Team starts practice after we finish, so I stayed to get some photos of them.  They are cuter than we are, but I really think we were having more fun.

     What I know for sure is that I felt so much better getting out of that pool than I did when I woke up this morning!  Maybe it was the 82 degree water, endorphins, the camaraderie, or the sun on a new pool, but definitely it was the best "May Day Pool Occupy" ever!