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An Ohio grandmother got here out of retirement to take a summer season job as a lifeguard to make sure her neighborhood pool would keep open amid a nationwide staffing scarcity.
Gail Rodgers, 66, took the brand new job when the Montgomery Towne Condominiums the place she resides and serves as board president was going to be compelled to cut back the pool hours over the dearth of lifeguards, in line with native station Fox19.
Rodgers was a lifeguard as a teen and determined to see if she might don the pink swimsuit as soon as once more — greater than 50 years later.
“I assumed, ‘Effectively, I did this lifeguard factor again within the late ’60s’ so I assumed possibly I can do that once more,” she advised Good Morning America.
Rodgers took all the mandatory courses and have become licensed final yr after passing the bodily take a look at.
Her new boss, president of Cincinnati Pool Administration Jeff Blume, stated the take a look at isn’t a stroll within the park.
“[Lifeguard candidates] must swim a 300-yard size and that’s 12 laps at a conventional swimming pool. They must tread water for the allotted period of time after which they must swim a size after which submerge and seize a 10-pound brick off the underside of the pool,” Blume advised the morning present.
Rodgers, a mom of two and grandmother of three, handed all parts and formally began as a part-time lifeguard on Might 27 — filling in when the opposite guards want time without work.
“There’s a necessity on the market and there’s a inhabitants that may fill that want,” she advised Fox19. “I feel it’s nice to have the ability to sit outdoors and benefit from the good climate. It retains you in form, you discover out you are able to do stuff you weren’t actually certain you may do like swim 300 yards.”
Blume stated Rodgers is a “pleasure” to have on employees including that lifeguarding isn’t only a job for her however an expertise.
“We love her enthusiasm, we’re comfortable she’s right here,” he stated. “She brings a brand new perspective to the lifeguarding world.”
Rodgers additionally stated she is having fun with her new gig.
“It’s been enjoyable watching the children enjoying with their mother and father and other people having fun with the good climate within the pool,” she stated. “It’s been quite a bit higher and extra nice than I anticipated it to be.”
She plans to tackle extra hours within the late summer season when her youthful coworkers head again to high school.
Rodgers stated different seniors and older adults ought to take into account guarding particularly as the entire nation is grappling with a lifeguard scarcity.
“I hadn’t finished numerous swimming in a very long time so I used to be slightly involved myself, however I feel lots of people may very well be doing this, and it is likely to be good for them to get out and do that even,” she stated. “[It] pays properly. You may set your personal schedule. Doesn’t get a lot better than that.”
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