ONLINE EDITION FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 14, 2001

Sports

Now that summer is coming to a close, those who played an integral part of it in the Village of Mineola can reflect back on their times, working as members of the village's recreation and pool staffs.

At a recent meeting of the village board, trustee Elizabeth Conlon commented on how successful the summer programs were in the village. The members of the staff deserve a lot of the credit for creating an enjoyable atmosphere. The members of the pool and park staff told us what they liked best about their job and what the highlight of their summer was working for the village. Here is what they had to say:

Lauren Scala (Fordham University) Pool Attendant

Likes: "I love being outside and getting to work with such an amazing staff. I also enjoy the friendly community members that we come in contact with every day."

Summer Highlight: Playing with the kids at the kiddie pool and working the Splash Parties.

Katelyn Sharp (SUNY New Paltz) Pool Attendant

Likes: Interacting with children especially at splash parties. Being able to work with my friends as well as meeting new people.

Summer Highlight: "The highlight of my summer was being given the opportunity to meet and bond with some great people."

Peter Teemsma (Southern Connecticut State University) Lifeguard

Likes: Getting to meet new people who make working here a pleasure.

Summer Highlight: Swimming proudly for our Mineola Sting Rays.

Nicole Gregorius (SUNY Old Westbury) First Aid, CPR Certified, Water Safety Instructor, 9 and over swim team coach, Pool Attendant

Likes: The interaction with the children and patrons.

Summer Highlight: Watching the progression of children throughout the summer.

Lauren Gandarela (Mineola High School) Pool Attendant

Likes: "I liked working with my friends and getting to know new people. I also enjoyed spending my summer outdoors."

Summer Highlight: "I enjoyed working the splash parties and helping with the activities in the park."

Kristi McPartland (Molloy College) Pool Attendant

Likes: "I enjoyed working with my friends and meeting new people. I also enjoyed spending my summer outside in the sun."

Summer Highlight: "I enjoyed working the splash parties and playing with the kids at the kiddie pool."

Jonathan Debrich (Haverford College) Lifeguard

Likes: Interacting with all of the patrons, young and old, working with friends and teaching swim lessons to the adults.

Summer Highlight: Making new friends with all of the early-bird swimmers and the "students" in my Adult Swim Class.

Elizabeth Doyle (University at Albany) Assistant Supervisory Lifeguard

Likes: "I love teaching swim lessons because the children are so enthusiastic about learning how to swim. I also have a great time with the rest of the staff. They're the best."

Summer Highlight: The second Family Splash Party because I get to dance and play with all of my favorite children.

Rachel Moston (Haverford College) Lifeguard/Water Safety Instructor

Likes: "I love the kids. The families that go to the pool are great. I enjoy working with them and the staff is amazing."

Summer Highlight: "The highlight of my summer was teaching swimming lessons and watching each child's progression. I loved seeing kids try new things in the water that they had never before done."

Sean Kerszko (Katherine Gibbs) Supervisor/Attendant

Likes: The positive atmosphere and the friendliness of the staff and patrons toward one another.

Summer Highlight: Meeting new people and developing growing relationships with the staff.

Susan Murphy (Teacher at PS111 in Queens) Assistant Director/CPO/Tie Dye Guru

Likes: "I loved working with our dedicated staff and our concerned pool patrons."

Summer Highlight: "My highlight of this summer was tie dying on the Woodstock anniversary and seeing how well the items turned out. I also enjoyed welcoming Camryn Shea Kopetic to our Mineola Pool family."

Shauna McPartland (Molloy College) Pool Attendant

Likes: Working with friends and speaking with patrons.

Summer Highlight: The Staff Splash Party and Woodstock in Mineola.

Dan Kopetic (Special Education Teacher) Pool Director, CPO, Lifeguard

Likes: Working with the pool staff and developing a "team-like" environment to ensure a safe and fun facility for all.

Summer Highlight: Establishing a wonderful rapport with many of the pool patrons and assisting the members and their guests with all their needs.

Beth Basile (Mineola High School) Pool Attendant

Likes: The people that I worked with.

Summer Highlight: The staff party at the pool.

Matthew Ciesinski (New Hyde Park Memorial High School) Pool Attendant

Likes: The way all the workers got along.

Summer Highlight: When we had the storm going across the pool. We all had to go into the staff room and the lights went crazy because of the lightning.

Kim Servat (SUNY Cortland) Lifeguard

Likes: Working with my friends and meeting new ones. I also enjoy interacting with the families that came to the pool.

Summer Highlight: Teaching swimming lessons and aquasize with the afternoon class.

Jon Zeitchek (Holy Trinity High School) Lifeguard

Likes: "The thing I like best about my job is meeting new people and the opportunity to save people's lives."

Summer Highlight: "The highlight of my summer was helping out with the swim team."

Raphael Francois (Farmingdale) Pool Attendant

Likes: "There is never a dull day and I'm close to the water."

Summer Highlight: Getting stuck at the pool one day during a fierce and raging thunderstorm.

Anthony Wong (Mineola High School) Pool Attendant

Likes: Working with the friendly patrons at the pool.

Summer Highlight: Seeing the kids have fun going down the slide.

Michael Marotta (Mineola High School) Lifeguard

Likes: Knowing the patrons feel safe with me on the stand.

Summer Highlight: Making a little girl's day by taking her down the slide.

Kate Nelson (University of Scranton) Lifeguard/Water Safety Instructor

Likes: "I love working with all of the families at the pool. I also love the playful, childlike atmosphere and the staff is awesome."

Summer Highlight: "The highlight of my summer was teaching swim lessons. The children's enthusiasm and willingness to learn always brought a smile to my face."

Chris MacLean (Wheatley) Lifeguard

Likes: Watching the little kids going off the diving board and the faces they have on when they come out of the water.

Summer Highlight: Being able to work with Peter Teemsma.

Jacqueline Hazel (University of Scranton) Lifeguard

Likes: "I really enjoyed teaching swimming lessons this year. It was such a great joy watching some overcome their fears and improve their strokes."

Summer Highlight: "I loved working Family Fun Nights and dancing with all of my favorite little kids."

Andrew Thompson (Chaminade High School) Lifeguard

Likes: "I enjoyed talking to the patrons and hearing their concerns."

Summer highlight: "When I gave a child enough confidence to jump off the diving board."

Lisbeth Teemsma (SUNY New Paltz) Pool Attendant

Likes: Dan Kopetic and Susan Murphy - they are the best bosses ever! I feel as though they aren't really my bosses but my best friends. That is way cool.

Summer Highlight: Cleaning the female locker room. You do not understand the absolute joy I derive from a sparkling toilet. I also enjoyed "Meet the Farm Animals" and sewing with Madeleine.

Andrew Lyons (Fordham University) Park Attendant

Likes: "After working my 40 hours a week at the park, what I like the best is being able to help take care of the park and keep it clean for the citizens of Mineola."

Summer Highlight: "The highlight of my summer at work was helping out at Woodstock on August 15. I was able to help kids tie dye and hand out free favors."

Danny Francis (Dowling College) Park Attendant

Likes: "It's a good job and I get to hang out with my friends. Also, I love to work jobs that you have a chance to work outdoors."

Summer Highlight: Running all of the activities with my fellow staff members who were a lot of fun.

Denise Fitzpatrick (Mineola High School) Park Attendant

Likes: "I liked making connections with the kids who come down here every day. We hold a strong bond of friendship with each other."

Summer Highlight: "The highlight of the summer at work was when Woodstock came to Mineola. It was a great success and everybody had a great time traveling back in time to Woodstock."

Maryl Fitzpatrick (The College of St. Rose) Park Attendant

Likes: "I enjoyed spending time with the kids who spent time in the park."

Summer Highlight: "The highlight of my summer was Woodstock in the park."

Bryan Eich (Molloy College) Park Attendant

Likes: "I like the outdoors and being able to work outside makes it that much better."

Summer Highlight: "Toward the end of the summer I have become great friends with people at work who I never spoke to in my life before. I have met some amazing people at Wilson Park throughout the summer of 2001."

Erin Mulholland (Binghamton University) Park Attendant/Supervisor

Likes: The friendships that I have made with the other park attendants. "They made my summer a lot more fun. I also enjoyed doing arts and crafts every week. It was fun to see the kids get so excited."

Summer Highlight: "Woodstock comes to Mineola was definitely a lot of fun. We had so many activities for the kids to do. They really enjoyed arts and crafts projects. It's nice to see the smiles on their faces when they finished their projects."

Lauren E. Marron (Binghamton University) Park Attendant

Likes: "I enjoy working with the children in arts and crafts. Also, the friendships I've formed with the people I work with. It's a lot of fun!"

Summer Highlight: "My two highlights were definitely "Woodstock Comes to Mineola 2001" and our Fourth of July celebration. We all had a great time and the kids had a lot of fun.

(Thanks to all the staff members and special thanks to Kyle Teemsma for obtaining the information.)