Women who want to swim for fun or exercise in a comfortable setting are welcome here

For women of a certain age or fitness level, swimming season can be daunting if one isn’t beach-body ready.

Patty Swanson wanted to provide a welcoming, comfortable atmosphere for those women, so that they could enjoy the benefits of water exercises. So, she started “Exercises with Friends” by opening her private outdoor swimming pool in Shiloh to small groups.

Once the weather gets warmer, around the end of May, she gives classes twice a day, five days a week, at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Classes run around 45 minutes to an hour.

“As long as the weather stays warm, we can go through October,” she said.

A bonus was the camaraderie that has developed. Ages have ranged from 27 to senior citizens.

“It’s really become a social time. We play music – for all ages. There is always a lot of laughter. It is such a positive thing. We have people with knee and hip replacements, and people who haven’t done anything like this in 20, 30 years,” she said. “The cardio-vascular benefits are many. People always feel better afterwards.”

Now, Patty wants to spread the word that anyone who wants to join in the fun can do so by reaching out.

“We have 20 acres. Nobody is watching you. No neighbors,” she said.

The Swansons run a Christmas tree farm, a family business that began in 1976. Shiloh Pine Tree Farm is located at 318 Red Fox. It is off Lebanon Avenue, behind Corpus Christi Catholic Church.

Her husband, Scott, is a past director of the Belleville YMCA, and the family has been swimming for fun and competition for years.

They met in the late 1970s at a Red Cross water safety course in the Ozarks.

“Scott grew up swimming all year round with his dad, who was a Navy pilot, off the coast of California, the Philippines and Hawaii, where they lived. I grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, where you can only swim a few months a year in the summer. I swam in lakes, ponds and swimming pools,” Patty said.

Patty is an experienced instructor. Starting in the mid-80s, she taught water exercises in Queeny Park in St. Louis County. She and her family have taught swimming lessons and water safety classes and are trained as lifeguards. The Swansons have five children.

“The summer of 1974, I took the Red Cross junior lifesaving course, and my teacher was Janet Smoot. I was hooked – I wanted to be like her, to teach people how to swim and be safe so they could enjoy all that swimming has to offer. Fifty years later, and I still love the way God uses me to help people enjoy something so simple as water. You never get too old or too out of shape to benefit from a pool,” she said.

Julie Dietl said she has enjoyed the classes for the past five years. While she was undergoing chemotherapy treatments, she was able to attend because it isn’t a public pool, she noted.

“Since she offers classes twice a day, I enjoy both times. The day class offers the warmth of the sunshine, and the evening offers refreshing exercises to help promote a good night’s sleep,” she said.

“The best part is coming together to laugh, visit, encourage, sing to the ‘oldies,’ and strengthen our muscles and balance. Patty provides special moments to treasure – like Mermaid Night (water exercises in the night light), goodies after class and fireworks,” she said.

“Patty encourages and modifies the class to fit your ability and comfort level. You get out what you put in. If you are looking for a fun, non-stressful, supportive, inexpensive way to exercise, please come join us this summer,” Dietl said.

Another swimmer, Maureen Catchings said she is always looking for an effective low-impact exercise routine.

“Patty’s classes are a great workout, and I love when I can attend. These water classes provide the cardio I need with less impact on my body and assist with my weight loss goals. I always look forward to stepping on the scale after a session,” she said.

“I’m not a great swimmer, but I don’t need to be for this class. I recommend it to anyone who needs a low impact workout.

Another friend, Debbie Witty, said the exercises help with her arthritis and flexibility.

“The class benefits anyone needing to strengthen and stretch. Patty always adds humor to the class. It is very enjoyable and a definite benefit to me,” she said.

Newcomers are encouraged to invite friends to come along.

Swanson said attendees don’t need swimsuits either. They can wear a T-shirt and pair of shorts, yoga pants.

“We make the rules,” she said. “It is a lot of fun. I just love it.”

For more information, call (618) 978-1447.