Thanks to Rotary swim volunteers
EDITOR: On behalf of the Sebastopol Rotary Club, Rick Wilson and I wish to thank a number of folks who helped make the 35th Rotary Learn to Swim Program a success. 11,500 Sebastopol second graders have been offered free swim lessons by Rotary at Ives Pool since 1984. This is not just a Rotary Club effort, however, but requires community support. We had over 110 volunteers this year helping by getting in the water with the kids and teaching them basic swim skills and water safety between April 23 and May 16. We thank all of you for teaching rain or shine.
We also like to thank Sgt. Tim Murphy, a California State Lifeguard supervisor at the coast who talked about water safety to the kids. We also thank Ricardo Freitas, Ives pool manager, for giving us the pool space for the lessons and supplying life guards for the kids. We thank our wonderful administrative assistant, Iris Lovelace, who helps us get the nearly 400 kids organized and ready to go by day one. We thank Lehla Irwin, Sea Serpent coach, for helping train volunteers, some of whom did not realize they could teach second graders to swim until they met Lehla! We wish to thank the schools, and their staffs, who participate in this worthy program, and make sure the kids get to the pool for their lessons. It is no mean feat to get kids out of class and down to the pool. But the schools know how much the kids benefit from the program. We need to thank Laura Hagar Rush of Sonoma West for her support. We cannot get volunteers without the help of the paper to spread the word, and she was kind enough to help us. Finally special thanks to the McDaniel Family Trust, and Dr.John Sweeney for their support.
Greg Jacobs and Rick Wilson
Co-chairpeople, Rotary Learn to Swim
Still on the line
EDITOR: July 10 was National Lineworker Appreciation Day, but it’s not too late to take a moment to recognize the men and women who work around the clock to keep the lights on for our community.
PG&E has thousands of lineworkers across our service area, and they are often unsung heroes. Day and night, no matter the weather, these lineworkers are up in bucket trucks, arriving first on emergency scenes and operating heavy machinery, all to serve our customers.
Their dedication and sacrifice is something to be celebrated, and that’s why the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and the Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) has established July 10 as Lineworker Appreciation Day. If you see a lineworker today, please stop and say thank you and let them know you appreciate the work that they do.
Joe Horak
Senior Manager for PG&E’s Sonoma Division
