Rye Y Story Project: Diane N.

Diane I’ve been coming to the Y since November of 2016. I recently retired as a school teacher in the Mamaroneck School District. I used to swim at the middle school before class. And when I retired, I didn’t have access to a pool. I’m like a mermaid, I’m a fish out of water. I was always on the swim team, a competitive swimmer, lifeguard, taught swimming lessons. I just love to be in the water.

So I was thinking ‘where can I go?’ And I remembered that once, when the Hommocks Middle School was closed for repairs, one of my colleagues came to the Rye Y to do laps. His kids worked out at the Rye Y because they were on the swim team. So I said ‘well, let’s go check it out’. So I came that summer of 2016 and I talked to the people at the front desk. I asked for a tour and asked if I could just do 20 laps which they let me do. I thought that it was a very nice Y. I’ve been in a few different Ys and this is a particularly nice one.

Right before I retired in 2016, I had a heart attack. I had to do cardiac rehab for a few months at Greenwich Hospital and as soon as I was finished with that, I joined the Rye Y. At first, I thought I wanted to do only lap swimming, but I participated in a week of aquatics classes, and I was sold. It’s fun working out to music and it works all parts of your body and is good for aerobics, flexibility and strength. And it’s good for my heart health.

I try to come Monday through Friday for the aquatics classes. Nothing else but aquatics. I think the teachers are particularly good here. It’s fun. It gets me out of bed. It gets me moving and I really love it. I’ve even filled in teaching classes. They wanted me to be a sub, but I’d rather be in the water.

I wanted to help out in another way, so about a year ago, I designed a short sleeve t-shirt, held a sale and we made about $500 for the Annual Campaign. This year, we are offering a long sleeve tee shirt for the annual campaign. The annual campaign gives other people the chance to enjoy the Y as much as I do.