Letters - Treading water

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Published on Tuesday, June 12, 2018

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Neepawa Banner & Press

For many years now, the kids from Eden school have been offered swimming lessons in June because of the fact they have to stay in school an additional 15 minutes of everyday, a.m and p.m, to accomodate the children who are bussed from Neepawa.  Now however, because of Neepawa Recreation’s recent decision, swimming lessons for these kids are no more.

  Not only does this effect the Eden children, but it also effects the Plumas kids and colonies and now the parents of all these children are scrambling to find swimming lessons for their children or worse yet...nothing at all.  These are life saving skills that some day may help these children out or help someone else in need. Rural children are especially susceptible to drowning when there are dugouts and water holes too tempting to stay out of on a hot day.

In the June 1st issue of the Banner & Press, the article about the pool stated the reason the pool wasn’t offering swimming lessons to all these kids was because most of the life guards were high school students, therefore the lessons could not be completed in the month of June.  Most.  What about the other lifeguards then?  Why don’t you tell the parents of the children you threw out of your pool the real reason they aren’t getting their swimming lessons this year.

A price on life

Isn’t it true that the University students who teach the swimming lessons in June were asking for more than minimum wage, and the Town of Neepawa decided that it would be more economical to disengage from their past years of offering lessons to these children rather than pay the lifeguards what they were asking?   Basically, you are putting a price on life.  The parents effected were never even offered a chance to pay the extra cost, (whatever it may have been) to get our kids into these lessons.

Your decision is deeply concerning and disturbing.  Your actions are impacting more children than you realize.  Now parents are taking their children to other towns for lessons and you can bet they will be spending their money in other towns as well.  Your negative approach sends a strong message to me and many others.  I for one, will not be sending one cent to your pool until you can find a way to get these kids back on the track they have been on for so many years.  Thank you for upsetting many parents, teachers and children and re arranging our summer plans.   I do hope your “thriftyness” bites you in the rear end.

Kim Lukin

Mystery Location