A line formed and when the gates opened all the children began their journey through their five stations which gained them access to the prized reward-----THE BUCKET POOL!
Parents and Grandparents aided the smallest of the group through the various activities placed around the pool decks. Attaching pennies to balance fish with balloon tails and dropping them into a plastic pool to see if they "swim", blowing bubbles at large paper fish, exploring shells and coral at the bottom of a plastic pool and learning how to wear a life jacket were several of the stations that the children worked through.
During the early afternoon the laughter and joyous squeals increased steadily as more and more of the children gained entrance to the bucket pool.
Patty and Barbara with their army of lifeguards and junior lifeguards oversaw the activity. Five of the "Rankin Aquatic Center Partners" were on site actively supporting the staff throughout the afternoon showing off their new t-shirts.
At about 3:30 pm all who wanted to be were wet and a group of adventurous children sat beneath the spillway of the bucket waiting for the huge splash.
