Susie Alloway is a 72-year-old woman with a zest for learning! When Susie was growing up her mom did not drive. This meant by the time she was an adult, Susie never learned how to swim. They just didn’t have the means to make it happen, and her father was apprehensive around water since a terrible near drowning experience he had as a child.
A new goal each year
Susie got married at the age of 19, moved to Germany and started a family. She has two sons who learned how to swim as children, because their mom knew the importance of the skill.
At 65 she decided she would set a new goal for herself each year. She learned how to speak Spanish so she could talk to folks while volunteering at a food bank. The following year she wanted to learn how to crochet, so she went on YouTube and taught herself! The next skill was knitting, which she found a bit more challenging.
Susie joins the YMCA
Miss Alloway joined the Y thanks to Silver Sneakers and has thoroughly enjoyed Shirley’s water fitness class, which inspired her next goal. While in class, Susie would watch the lap swimmers in the outdoor pool. At that moment she decided that learning how to swim was going to be her next endeavor.
Right away she jumped into private swim lessons, first with Abby and then with Casey. Miss Alloway cannot say enough about these young staff members who treated her with nothing but respect.
“They were both just so understanding and kind towards me, I just can’t tell you how much I appreciate them!” Susie went on to share her amazing accomplishments in the water, “I can now swim backstroke, freestyle and breaststroke!”
Susie doesn’t swim laps, but she does still take part in water fitness classes and does so in the deep end of all places! Susie talks about all of the friends she's made at the Baxter Y. A few of those friends were instrumental in getting her courage up to learn to swim.
“One of my friends even taught me how to float before I ever signed up for swim lessons. Another couple of friends were so encouraging that I felt like I had to try. The Y has just been a wonderful place for me to go. I'm always just so happy when I am here!”
Help kids learn to swim
We are so grateful to have Susie at the Y. To help provide swim lessons for kids whose families could otherwise not afford it, please donate to the Y's Annual Campaign.
