Letters To The Editor

Thank you, firefighters

Our heartfelt thanks and gratitude goes out to those dedicated, courageous heroes who sacrifice their comfort and actually lay their lives on the line for our safety in fighting the wildfires that endanger our very existence. We are from Arizona and are not subjected to fire danger and are so impressed with the efficiency with which the fires are managed and controlled here in Spokane. We are thankful for all we have and we count our firefighters as special blessings. Bill and Maureen Dickson Spokane

Pool trip disappointing

I am writing to voice a disappointment in an otherwise fun week.

Our family recently moved to Spokane and were very impressed by “KidsWeek.”

Thursday our family and some friends’ kids went to Witter Pool for the yellow submarine and games, as advertised in the newspaper.

Kids lined up according to age. During the second game, kids 8 and younger sat as the other kids went. After over a half-hour, other kids had played the relay games and the lifeguard started to walk away.

A couple of kids asked her about their chance to play. She told them they were out of time; it was time for a lifeguard break. Too bad.

They followed her over to the prize table and were told, since they didn’t participate, they couldn’t have a prize, and besides they were too late anyway.

The other kids (not all) handed in slips they had gotten and received pop and bags of chips. I went to see what was the deal, why not all the kids got this and found the lifeguard handing out cookies and ice cream bars to special kids.

I asked to see the manager and told him about the waiting, the game they didn’t get to play, why certain people got food and the disappointment of the kids.

He said, “Ma’am, you have to understand. We are understaffed here. There are literally hundreds (there were not) of kids here for this. We have only a certain amount of money. The state decrees a break for us at this time and we have to take it. We are doing the best we can, and you need to realize your children do swim for free.”

He said that no one else complained, and that if my kids wanted a prize, there was another game they could play.

I said thank you for listening and left. The kids with me all opted for open swim and to wait for the yellow submarine. It never showed. When we left, they wanted to know if all pools were mean and liars. I said no. These memories will be with them for life. I would rather pay for my kids to swim than go there again.

Next year, would it be possible to not alienate some parents and kids, but to plan ahead for an event scheduled each year and be prepared?

But I guess I do need to realize that after all, my kids do swim for free and isn’t the old adage, you get what you pay for, usually true?

In this case, sad to say, it was. C. Arnold Spokane