Dear Menlo Town Council,
I have made my home in lovely Menlo Park with my husband and 2 daughters for 15+ years. I have never before felt the need to question the decision making of our vibrant town leadership. However, it has come to my attention that the city is considering the replacement of Team Sheeper as the manager our aquatics center. I have grave reservations that such a change would at best cause a simple loss of services and, more likely, cause permanent and irreparable damage to the program that currently shines as a beacon of community, diversity, service and wellness that is not only physical but also spiritual.
Burgess Pool has served as the focal point of my entire family’s development through the years:
1. When my daughters were young, they learned to swim in the warm, welcoming waters with dedicated instructors. They have both gone on to be on year-round swim teams and my older daughter, Coral, who is currently a senior at MA high school, has even become involved in water polo. Coral and I have a dream to join the Menlo Maven’s adult womens’ water polo team at Burgess one day (my daughter promises to help me since I haven’t played water polo before!). My younger daughter Cami has particularly enjoyed participating in the lively and affordable kids’ summer camps at Burgess. Both girls have both even completed a children’s triathlon that kids of all ages from the whole Bay Area came to Burgess to compete in. How fun and so special!
2. I started using the pool as a lap swimmer. My best friends in life have become the people I met through exercising at Burgess. I was encouraged to join the friendly Masters swim group where I learned, despite the daunting “Masters” name, that swimmers of all abilities are truly welcomed and encouraged. From the Masters team, I was further encouraged to do something even crazier: join the triathlon team! Through swimming, biking and running, I have actually come to be in the best shape of my life as I approach age 50. And I am someone who was initially too afraid of cars to even ride a bicycle on the road, let alone use clip on pedals! The inevitable truth of running, though, is that I am plagued by running injuries. So I have become quite involved with Aqua Fit, the aquaerobics program that makes use of water’s low impact environment to maintain fitness. I am one of the younger participants at Aqua Fit but the class is wonderful for folks of all ages. I love that I have made such a diverse group friends from all ages and backgrounds in these different programs, all at Burgess.
3. My husband jokes that if he wants to see me, he needs to go to Burgess because that’s where I will be (it’s pretty much true). He was actually the first one to join Masters (I was reluctant, felt that I could only handle lap swimming at first). However, I saw how he improved through Masters and the adult swim clinics offered at Burgess. He came to excel in swimming. I followed him into the Masters program where I improved too! Then, he followed me onto the triathlon team. He hasn’t yet joined Aqua Fit but I bet he will any day now.
4. Through Burgess, my whole family has participated in wonderful community charities too. Currently there is an ongoing “February Can Do” challenge in which participants donate canned foods to those in need, and the contributions reflect your work out achievements at the pool. What great motivation!
The amazing environment at Burgess pool is unparalleled and irreplaceable. The driving force behind such magic is Tim Sheeper himself. If you want to replace Tim Sheeper, it is my bet that you don’t really know him. He is arguably the most inspirational individual I have ever known. I wish to lend my wholehearted support to maintaining Team Sheeper at the helm of Burgess Pool and future aquatics programs.
Sincerely,
Jenny
