By Jackie Doty
My earliest encounter with the Franciscan Sisters was years ago, long before my birth, when the chaplain, Father Grunenwald, asked the then postulants to pray for a match he was encouraging, that being the couple who eventually became my parents. He was also the person who suggested including a swimming pool in the construction of the new high school. Good man with excellent foresight.
Early in 1979, my friend Char Stumpf asked if I was interested in swimming at the new health club recently opened at St. Francis. Once in that water it was love at first splash. This was the year I turned 39.
It was not long before I began volunteering so the director, Sister Faye Mazzola, had some free time to catch her breath. After Sister Faye resigned, Maureen Callinan became director, followed by Sharon Elbert. Maureen asked a group of us, in order to provide needed staff, to take lifeguard training. Pete Wetzel and Jeff Foltmer were our excellent instructors. I then trained in a Water Safety Instructors course so I could also teach swim classes. I loved teaching all those eager, sometimes fearful, little kids, but teaching adults to swim was another kind of challenge.
Under Maureen and Sharon, water and floor aerobic classes were offered as aerobics were all the rage. Those of us who taught aerobics found ourselves with very sore feet and legs until our bodies adjusted to the pounding. We much appreciated when low impact aerobics came into vogue. A fair amount of my time was spent at St. Francis beside my daily swim, much of it still wearing a swimsuit or other exercise clothes.
Late spring in 1985, Sister Judine Cassidy asked me if I’d be interested in the director position, and since I’d practically become a fixture in the pool area, I gladly accepted. Also Larry Engholm came on as the head of a new and reorganized system. I worked with Larry to assess the needs and upgrades necessary to enhance St. Francis Health and Recreation Center as it was then named. With the aid and approval of the board of directors, we began to add and upgrade equipment and amenities to create a first-class workout environment including treadmills, stair steppers, weight room, etc., plus pool upgrades. It was Larry’s idea to build a racquetball court and add a hot tub, both very popular with our clientele.
Then we added a massage therapist. As I had met her as one of my adult swimming students, I was thrilled to discover Sister Jeanne Winter would be the massage person and we would be sharing office space and spending a lot of time together. We got along like peas and carrots.
I must recognize all the great people who were there to help make our center run smoothly. All those dear and efficient office staffers along with a steady stream of delightful teens who did so much of the lifeguarding. I can’t remember them all, but loved each one as they shared with me tales about their lives and occasional angst.
Each day was highlighted by the cafeteria coffee break time with Sister Jeanne and many other sisters and convent employees. Laughs happened as well as some serious discussions. Now it’s a walk down the path to the convent cemetery in order to greet most of those same, delightful people.
These busy, pleasant years passed rather quickly and it was all too soon 1997. I decided to retire as director as it was time for a new person with fresh ideas. My hubby, Joseph, would soon be retiring, and we planned to do some traveling.
I didn’t actually say goodbye because that good old pool had cast a lasting spell on me, so as often as possible I answered the siren call that only a swimmer can hear.
Recently the unthinkable came with the unfortunate creation of a new virus showing devastating potential for mayhem. All public establishments deemed unnecessary were ordered closed until further notice.
After three months, St. Francis Health and Wellness Center reopened with new usage rules to accommodate the new normal and to ensure a safe environment for members. I am forever grateful to all the dear and generous Franciscan Sisters for providing our community with this excellent facility. July 1 I will turn over my 80th year. Time flies when one is swimming laps. In the words of Saint Seraphim of Sarov, “Swim often and you will feel on earth like the fish in the water.”
Above left: Jackie Doty is “forever grateful to all the dear and generous Franciscan Sisters for providing our community with this excellent facility.”
Above right: Jackie with trainer Al in the early days of St. Francis Health Rec.
