Tessie Branscomb, Fort Bragg Rec Center
Red Cross water safety instructor

“I’ve taught thousands of people to swim, including three generations in some of our old families. This new pool will be something to leave as a legacy for all those future generations which someone else will be teaching.”

The Anderson and Daniels Families

Supporting the new aquatic facility is a family affair for the Anderson and Daniels families. “Young people need healthy activities year round and this will be a safe place to go for fun,” says Myles Anderson, of Anderson Logging. The children already enjoy swimming and can barely wait for the new pool for their favorite water games: Wyatt likes to catch the rings on the bottom of the pool; Kylie likes wearing goggles; and Aidan likes to splash his mother!

Myles and Stacey Anderson with their son Wyatt Hobart. Misty (Anderson) Daniels and Donald Daniels and their children Kylie Belle and Aidan.

Caleb Cunha

Caleb Cunha, Fort Bragg Middle School student, says “I body surf and snorkel in the ocean with my friends. If I hadn’t learned to swim when I was little, I wouldn’t feel safe around the water and I’d miss out! Fort Bragg needs a new pool for all the little kids.”

Nathaniel Yanez

A third-grader at Dana Gray School, Nathan doesn’t need prompting about the need for a new pool: “When it rains, the roof leaks and the pool gets dirty and once I found a half-dead caterpillar in the pool! And we need a bigger pool with longer lanes because I’m getting taller!”

Susan Larkin

“My College of the Redwoods water exercise class meets at the Fort Bragg Rec Center. The students know the value of being in the pool and aren’t shy about saying why: ‘The water is my medication; the pool is a blessing; swimming helped me recover from my surgery; the only place where I can exercise is in the pool.’ This new facility will be a real life-saver to people with physical and developmental disabilities of all kinds.”

Elizabeth Norvell

A fifth grade student, Elizabeth Norvell is a successul fundraiser and swimmer who started taking lessons from Tessie Branscomb at age 3 or 4. “At first I didn't like getting water in my face but Tessie kept trying to get me to jump in. Then my first aquathon happened and I raised $160. We need a new pool because this one is kind of beat up and we need a bigger, nicer pool for the swim team and a water slide for fun.”

Sam Fowler

Fifth grader at Fort Bragg’s Dana Gray School, Sam Fowler is not only on the Mendocino Coast Sea Lions team, he’s also a champion fundraiser for the new pool, donating birthday money and swimming in the aquathon. Why he does it is easy to explain: “I like the clapping and cheering when I swim and it’d be cool to be like Tessie and swim forever!”

Paul Tichinin, County Superintendent of Schools with swimmers from Mendocino Middle School

“This project is incredibly important for our swimmers, our families, our students, and local businesses. I couldn’t be more proud to support this future community center.”