Swimming Superstar

July 3, 2008 by tom5436 

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Jeanne Wilson - Valanta is a Hometown Heao freatured on
www.readcrosshometownhearoes.org

Jeanne in a word… Good-natured

Jeanne is a Hometown Hero because…
Jeanne is a hero to me because she is so patient and has literally taught thousands of people how to swim. Who know’s how many lives she’s saved through her actions?

More about Jeanne…
Jeanne has taught Red Cross swimming lessons for more than 65 years. She began her Red Cross water safety instructor career in 1941 when she took a Red Cross training course. Jeanne conservatively estimates that she has taught at least 10,000 students. Adults account for more than half that number and are often the most challenging to teach. It takes motivation, repetition and lots of patience. Her oldest student is 89 and her youngest students are in their 40s. One can\’t teach 10,000 students without having a few stories to tell. Once in a while students will leave something in the pool. Jeanne was teaching a woman how to dive, and the student went off the board and came up….without her false teeth. Without hesitation Jeanne dove in and found them at the bottom of the pool!