The Simple Things: Swimming, summer and 'Frozen'

GLORIA WAGGONER AND HER SWIM CLUB VALUES

Gloria, who lives in Coeur d’Alene, was a national champion and Olympic trials qualifier in 1964. Now, at age 78, she trains with the Kroc Masters Swim Team and enjoys competing nationally and having fun swimming around Tubbs Hill with friends. Recently, she revisited the Los Angeles Athletic Club in Southern California where she trained from ages 12-16, and shared with me the beautiful values which are still a focus at that facility.  

LOS ANGELES ATHLETIC CLUB VALUES

HEALTH: Embrace an all-encompassing approach to health that integrates soundness of mind, body and soul for yourself, your family and the community.

FRIENDLINESS: Be the friendliest version of yourself. 

HERITAGE: Carefully blend tradition and innovation. 

WONDERMENT: Recognize the beauty that surrounds us, try new things and do the unexpected.

TEAMWORK: Help others and do things that make the team better. 

I was especially touched by the inclusion of “Wonderment.” It’s no mystery that the club has produced world-class swimmers and world-class human beings.

LOVE OUR LAKE WEEK!

It would be impossible to overstate the value to our community of Lake Coeur d’Alene. It is a great source of joy for swimmers, boaters, kids jumping off the rocks on Tubbs Hill, people sitting on their decks overlooking the lake, fisherman, midnight dippers, scuba divers, stand-up-paddleboarders and more. 

“Love Our Lake Week,” set for July 13-17, “invites visitors and residents to celebrate the lake and learn about the science, history and stewardship efforts that help protect it.” 

The more we understand our lake, the more likely we are to care for this treasure. The week kicks off Monday, July 13, from 9 to 11 a.m. in the McEuen Park Pavilion, with a “Coffee Talk: A Simple Look at a Complicated Lake.” See you there. 

For more information: LOVE OUR LAKE WEEK

'FROZEN' AT THE CDA SUMMER THEATER

There were at least 100 young girls dressed in blue Elsa dresses, swaying happily in their chairs at the final production of Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre’s “Frozen.” The spontaneous standing ovation, after the closing singing of “Let it Go,” lined up with how I felt about the performance. Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre has now produced high-quality productions for 60 years! 

“Come from Away” is the second show of the season, from July 17 to 26. It is based on the time when the isolated community of Gander, Newfoundland, played host to the world. What started as an average day in a small town turned into an international sleepover, when 38 planes, carrying thousands of people from around the globe, were diverted to Gander's airstrip after the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on New York City. Undaunted by cues and language barriers, the people of Gander cheered the stranded travelers with music, an open bar and the recognition that we're all part of a global family. 

I’ve seen the Broadway production; I look forward to this production. 

“Titanic: the Musical,” is the final show of the season, from Aug. 7 to 16. We all know about the disaster of the 20th century when, in the early hours of April 15, 1912, the Titanic collided with the submerged part of an Atlantic Ocean glacier. A total of 1,517 souls, men, women and children, lost their lives (only 711 survived). It had been declared the finest, largest and strongest ship in the world, called, in fact, the "unsinkable" ship. 

I look forward to seeing the creation of the Titanic on the Boswell Hall stage. 

TOUR DE FRANCE

The 113th Tour de France began July 4 in Barcelona, Spain, the first time that Spain is part of the route. The 21 stages end in Paris on July 26 after 2,050 grueling miles.    

A July tradition of mine is to purchase Peacock for a month and tune in sometime after the 3:30 a.m. daily broadcast begins. Some people watch it for the stunning helicopter and drone shots of the Pyrenees, Alps and the surrounding countryside. I watch to listen to cycling analysts Bob Roll and Phil Liggitt explain the strategy of the teams and individuals as the race unfolds and to admire the endurance of these cyclists, many of whom are a mere 130-140 pounds of muscle, with a high tolerance for pain.

I’ve learned that there are climbers, sprinters and cyclists whose role is purely to take turns leading with bursts of a fast pace so the team’s strongest cyclist can save energy by drafting behind them. 

Like soccer (futbol), Europeans dominate this sport. 

ONE AMAZING THING ABOUT OUR WORLD

A silverback gorilla can lift over 1,763 pounds.

QUOTE ABOUT LIFE 

(note that I am 73 years old)

“Alas, aging is a fact of life. Acknowledge it rather than fight it. Don’t spend all your time trying to be immortal instead of trying to be useful to others. Take the time to do the things that truly matter to you. Be open to new experiences and live a fuller, richer, healthier life.” — Ezekiel J. Emanuel, M.D., Eat Your Ice Cream

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David Groth retired in 2016 after 37 years in elementary education. His last 17 years, the favorite part of his career, were spent teaching fifth grade and juggling at Sorensen Magnet School of the Arts and Humanities. He has lived in Coeur d’Alene since 1982 and has always appreciated the people, the geography, the climate, the rivers and lakes, and the simple things that make days special.