As a group, they’ve logged 68,052 miles.  The eleven men and two women who comprise them aren’t marathon runners, race car drivers, or jockeys.  They’re Midland Community Center swimmers, ranging in age from early 40’s to…well, over 86.

Front row – Vishu, Ruth, Dominic, Paula, and Bob Markey

Back row – Beth, Al, Bart, Bud, William, Mark, Larry, Louie, Doug Whitaker, and Barb

Not pictured – Virginia Miller, Marilyn Ketola, and Alice Strange

“I’ll tell you how old I am, but you can’t print it,” says Ruth Brown, with a humorous glint in her eye.  “I’m the most senior one here, and that’s all you’ll get out of me.”

Brown has 5,744 miles to her credit.  She has been swimming at MCC at 5:30 a.m. for years, drily remarking that when anyone asks why she gets up that early, she says it’s to get a good parking spot.

“The MCC is a jewel,” says Bob Markey, whose total mileage is 1,389.  “We have so many opportunities in Midland thanks to them being in this community.”

Their reasons for swimming vary.  Many cite the increasing limitations handed down by the Exercise Gods – knee replacements, dislocated joints, or back trouble.  Others comment on the enormous mental release swimming provides.  And some, like Bill Marklewitz or Louie Meisel do it to maintain flexibility and muscle health.  Bill is a polio survivor, and Louie was born with cerebral palsy.

“As a side benefit,” says Louie, at 1,300 miles, “It also allows me to maintain my Oreo cookie diet.”

When asked why they started swimming in the first place, the stories really begin to surface.  Dominic Favara, the leader of the group with 15,666 miles, has the most unique reason.

“My swimming career began in the South Pacific during World War II, when I swam for 7 hours,” He says.  As his face splits into a wide grin, he adds, “Of course, that was involuntarily.”

Bart Brimmer, who was born in the Netherlands, is acknowledged by the group to be “The Breast Stroke Man”.  Though financial constraints prevented him from accepting, he was asked to train for the Olympic swim team in 1948.

“Being born in the Netherlands, you start off 4-6 feet below sea level,” he says.  “You can imagine that makes for a great swimmer.”

Despite his light-hearted banter, Bart’s initial reason for learning to swim was a more somber one.  Akin to Michigan, the Netherlands is heavily populated with bodies of water, and his family suffered losses of young relatives and friends to drowning.  Bart’s father responded by paying a local lifeguard to teach Bart to swim.

“6 guilders,” says Bart, reminiscently.  “It was an enormous sum of money in those days.”

On this day, at the Midland Community Center, they are all present to be recognized.  Aquatics Director Beth Smith and Aquatics Coordinator Barb Palmer have bought lunch.  Awards are handed out to swimmers for breaking milestone marks of 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 miles.  The group shares their stories.  They joke and laugh.  They listen to each other. 

Bob Pierce, a lifelong swimmer, is last to speak.

“I’ve been in Midland and at the MCC all my life,” he says. “I swam in this pool the day it opened.  And thanks to MCC, I’m still swimming here today.”  He pauses, grins and pats his stomach, “I think I’ve gotten past the competitive swimming phase though…now I’m into perfecting superior buoyancy.”

The Midland Community Center is located at 2205 Jefferson St, Midland, MI 48640 and is an operating unit of the Greater Midland Community Centers, Inc.  For more information on programs and services, please visit our website at www.mymcc.org or contact us at (989) 832-7937.