Longtime Lifeguards Make Elm Ridge Park Pool Feel Like Home

Lifeguard Alyson Grate is a teacher by profession but most Rocky Hill residents will know her as a lifeguard.

Grate is in her 15th year as a lifeguard at Elm Ridge Park Pool in Rocky Hill. 

But Grate is not alone in longtime lifeguards at the pool. Erica Goldstein, Camille Gilbert, Gina Lecco, Kristine Ellegard, Kerri Gaffey, Nicole Bortolan and Christina Giancola all have been lifeguards at Elm Ridge for between seven and 10 years.

"For me, I like the environment," Grate said. "I enjoy the families coming back year after year and seeing the kids grow up. I have had a bunch of kids who were really little in swim lessons and seen them grow into young adults. We try to treat our lifeguards like a family and I think that shows to the people who come to the pool."

The lifeguards often spend hours outside of work with each other to complete that bonding process. There are lifeguard competitions, staff dinners and barbeques as well as team-building.

"I have had two internships the last two years but I have always wanted to remain as a lifeguard here," Erica Goldstein said. "I like the staff and the families. It's nice to come here and see familiar faces from town. I just graduated from UConn in May and I'm looking for a job in the Marketing/Communications field so I’m not sure if I'll be back next year. If I can stay I definitely will and I'm sure I will go on the substitute list like everyone else has done. It's funny to see kids who were little when I first started here and now they are taller than me."

It may be time for some of the guards to move on as another long timer also graduated this past spring.

"I graduated from Capital Community College with a degree in Nursing," Camille Gilbert said. "I have always liked this job as a lifeguard because it was a stable job and I was able to work around my school schedule and other commitments. I don't know what kind of nursing job I will get but I'm looking. There is a possibility that I can be a nurse and still lifeguard. I'm also a certified lifeguard instructor so there are so many things I can do with that as well."

Grate said that she has a pretty good idea why the lifeguards continue to return.

"It's a great summer job," Grate said. "We also try to treat everyone like family here and a big team and I think they like that. Kids will usually start when they are in high school and go right through until they are done with college or even longer. Camille said it's never boring and that is very true."