Boothbay YMCA member Janice McIntosh remembers clearly when she was a young child over 60 years ago. She was with a friend. She’d walked out to a lake float. In the course of playing, she fell off the side of the float where the water was too deep for Janice to touch bottom. She didn’t know how to swim. To this day, Janice credits the on-duty lifeguard with saving her life. She survived. As did her fear of water.

When aquatics director David Washburn heard Janice’s story, he prioritized an adult swimming lesson. While Janice had frequented the pool, she would only venture into the deep end with the buoying safety of multiple pool noodles. She used the ramp, and spent much of her time in the parts of the pool where she could touch bottom.

During the first lesson with David, Janice was encouraged to swim the width of the pool, about 20 feet. David helped Janice feel safe as she worked on freestyle swim strokes and feeling comfortable in the water. In the next lesson, David introduced the backstroke. Janice would propel about 20 feet before taking a rest. She also worked on floating on her back, which is the first step in attempting the backstroke. By the end of the third lesson, Janice could swim 40 feet, across the pool and back. She learned the breast stroke and donned swim goggles as she moved to the larger pool. There, she worked on breathing and limb movement.

Janice continued to show up. Challenge herself. Trust in the guidance David offered. By the sixth lesson, Janice was able to swim 75 feet and venture into the deep end without the assistance of a noodle. She also took a celebratory jump into the pool—her first! By the seventh lesson, Janice took her Swim Test. The test is designed to let lifeguards know a swimmer can venture anywhere in the pool without an adult or safety flotation. Janice, at 74, was taking her first swim test.

The test is not easy. One must jump in from nine feet. Swim 75 feet on one’s stomach, using any stroke to reach the pool wall before completing another 75-foot swim on your back. In the deep end, the swimmer must tread water and keep their head above water for two minutes.

Again, Janice showed up. Her legs were shaky. Her nerves were fully present. Still, Janice jumped in. She swam 75 feet, touched the pool wall—took some restorative deep breaths—and swam back again. She treaded water, and passed. While Janice built toward this satisfying accomplishment, friends told her she was “too old” and her goal was “too silly,” but Janice had a louder voice in her head. One of determination. She didn’t want fear to limit her experiences, and she doesn’t believe age should define you. The way Janice tells it, your goals are your own—and nothing anyone else says is more powerful than a dream or goal. At the Y, we believe in progress. In helping others. In celebrating success. We believe in the power of the individual to make great change. And we trust in the power of community to help each and every one of us move closer to our goals. At any age.