Letter to Editor | Life diminished

||| FROM MARIE MICHNICH |||

More than a decade ago, when we first came to enjoy the natural beauty of Orcas Island, I discovered a sweet little source of mental and physical well-being. A beautiful woman named Joyce Burghardt, well into her 90s, taught a water aerobics class at the fitness center pool at the gym at the west end of A Street.

At any point of time there were between 6 and 16 women and few amazing men who sang songs from the 30s, 40s and 50s, at the top of their lungs, while following a wonderfully scripted series of water exercises. Amid the chatter, laughter, and occasional groans, I had found the fountain of youth.

Joyce and her water aerobics program have been a remarkable source of joy, inspiration and healing as so many of us were confronting the challenges of arthritis, hip replacements, cancer, weight control and sometimes, just plain loneliness. I know this special gathering was a significant factor in my own decision to move to Orcas full time about 7 years ago.

It crushed all of us when Joyce had to give up being our beloved instructor and moved into a nursing home in Anacortes. She has since passed away. But one of our own stepped into the role of instructor and the merry band of water babies faithfully maintained Joyce’s life affirming legacy of fun and fitness.

We were devastated when COVID hit. It was so hard on everyone when the fitness center had to shut down. We did what we could but never quite achieved that combination of attributes provided by our time together in the pool. But that, too, passed, and we quickly reassembled when the lockdown lifted and resumed our welcome addition to quality of life on our precious island. We stood taller, slept better, breathed deeper, moved easier, and laughed more.

And we are not alone in our love of this pool. Most importantly, many other adults and children have come to depend on this community resource for exercise, swimming lessons and even the peace and calm that comes with simply floating in the silky, warm waters. Especially during our blustery winters, it provides a respite from the wind, rain, and storms that can rage outside.

About a month ago, and not for the first time, the ceiling of the pool area, which had been bubbling with more and more trapped water, ruptured, and a considerable volume of debris dumped into the pool, shutting it down. Free swim, swimming lessons for children and adults and water aerobics are cancelled. We have been told there is no plan for reopening the pool at this time.

I am certain that I speak for most of us when I say we are heartbroken and our lives are, once again, diminished. Yes, we have sought out various substitutes like hiking in the rain and cold, knitting, sleeping in, cleaning out long neglected drawers, even other exercise classes, none of which are as easy on our joints or culminate in the hysterically funny gathering of a bunch of giggling, naked senior citizens in the community shower after the water aerobics workout.

I suppose we could continue to shower at the gym, but it just wouldn’t be the same.