Employee of the Month

Elaine became a certified lifeguard at age 15, beginning a lifelong connection to aquatics and recreation. She went on to major in Recreation Administration in college, and throughout her career, she and her husband operated resorts and camps for children, where Elaine made swim programs an important part of each one.

After retiring from a career serving children, Elaine decided to return to what she loves most: teaching kids to swim. She believes strongly in helping children become safe and confident in the water, and spending the summer teaching in Astoria has given her the opportunity to work with kids while providing a vital life skill.

Elaine and her husband, Bernie, have three children of their own and also had the privilege of raising 25 foster children over the years.

Josh:

Swimming has been part of Josh's life for as long as he can remember. His mom was a swim instructor, and Josh learned to swim at such a young age that he doesn’t even remember learning! He joined a swim team at age five and continued swimming competitively throughout much of his youth.

Josh has always enjoyed helping others learn to swim and become more confident in the water. When he retired two years ago, he decided to dedicate some of his newfound free time to teaching swim lessons at the Astoria Aquatic Center. For Josh, swimming isn’t just something he loves—it’s one of the most important life skills a person can learn.