When Gail Rodgers learned that they would need to close the pool at her condominium complex in Sycamore Township, Ohio, on certain days this summer if they couldn’t find some new lifeguards, she figured she was just the person for the job. The 66-year-old grandmother had been a lifeguard in her teens and so she got recertified and now covers for other lifeguards when they need time off.
Rodgers is a member of the condo board and often walks her dog through the neighborhood, so she knows lots of the residents, but she says the lifeguarding has allowed her to meet some of her younger neighbors. “I’m getting to know all the kids,” she says, “And I think maybe the kids will respond to me as a lifeguard more so because I am older.”
Jeff Blume of Cincinnati Pool Management, who staffs and maintains the pool, is pleased with their newest lifeguard, saying, "We love her enthusiasm, we’re happy she’s here. She brings a new perspective to the lifeguarding world." In addition to helping the community, Rodgers is also enjoying the flexibility of choosing her shifts and loves getting to spend time with her grandkids at the pool.
Source: FOX 19