November 2020 | Volume 3 | Issue 11
NOVEMBER NEWS
Welcome to November, where we once again extend our thanks to you, our members, for being so patient and understanding as we navigate the ever changing world.
Our priority remains consistent: safety. 
DATES TO REMEMBER
  • November 11 - Veterans Day-open 5:30am-9:00pm
  • November 26 - Thanksgiving-open 7:00am-11:00am 
  • November 27 - Black Friday-open 7:00am-6:00pm
  • December 2 - Winter Registration open to Members
  • December 9 - Winter Registration open to Non-Members
TWO GOOD VIDEOS
Tutorial on making a facility reservation.
Cleaning with some music.
PERSONAL BELONGINGS
Please continue to use the gray Rubbermaid bins to store your belongings. They are very helpful to keep your items clean and dry. As we reach colder weather and the heavier coats come open please feel free to grab an extra bin. Please do not leave your coats on pegs in the locker rooms, or your boots on the floor. Storage in the locker rooms remains prohibited.

General items left at the end of each day will be disposed of. Please see the front desk for small valuable items such as wallets and phones.

Swimmers are advised to bring a hat for the trip home or better yet, invest in a Beede hoodie. Good news, our hoodies provide warmth, comfort and style. Nor can you beat the price. They are only $30 and are available at the Front Desk. Get one for yourself and the people you like most on your gift list.

Look for some new boot trays and coats hooks.
SAY CHEESE
The Beede Swim + Fitness Center is looking for you to show us your Beede pride.
As you are about in Concord, snap a creative picture with your Beede attire, water bottle, etc.
Send it to concordrec@concordma.gov during the month of November.
Winner will receive a warm and cozy Beede sweatshirt!
WINTER PROGRAMMING
Our slate of winter fitness classes begins the week of January 4 and runs weekly through March 22. Beede Center members receive up to 40% off each program and may register one week earlier than non-members. Once again we offer classes for everyone 6 months old and over. Our summer and fall classes were a great success. Space is limited so do not wait to register. You may see a complete list of classes and sign up here: Programs and Lessons
SHALLOW END FUN
The Danker family enjoys time in the newly expanded Shallow End Section. 

Last month, we removed a divider and created one large section, pictured above, and two smaller sections. The longer space will be welcome, especially to Water Walkers and families who count on the Beede Center for Fun and Recreation. Reserve online through the Shallow End Section. The larger section will be First-Come, First-Served.
MAKING CENTS OUT OF LAP COUNTING
Swimming laps for exercise has a unique challenge: how do you keep track of the number of times you swim from one end of the pool to the other? If you’re a competitive distance swimmer, you have someone to keep track for you. But a personal lap counter is a luxury most swimmers can’t count on. 

So swimmer Margaret Dimock devised her own system for keeping track of her weekday mile-long swims. Using the skills acquired from her career as a major gift fundraiser, she follows the money - albeit in slightly smaller denominations. 

Margaret has long been a lap swimmer, logging hundreds of kilometers in pools in Mexico City, Sao Paulo and other South American countries where she traveled for work. Her love of travel, and South America in particular, began early in her 22-year career at MIT. Looking through alumni data she noticed a large and successful base in Latin America. Why not check in on them, Margaret suggested, and see if they’d like to give back to the school? 

This was a win-win-win, Margaret confided. The alumni would feel valued, MIT would thrive financially from the niche resource she created, and the Spanish she studied at Vassar College would blossom.

MIT was excited and Margaret was soon seated business-class aboard the first of hundreds of journeys south. She met with alum and soaked in the cultural experiences, the people, their history and food, while establishing strong bonds between MIT and its graduates.

Then in January she turned 57 and decided it was time to join husband Allyn in retirement. She made plans to improve her health, explore China, and visit Buenos Aires with Allyn to learn to tango. To hit that first goal, she began a regimen of serious lap swimming at the Beede, choosing endurance over speed. “I don’t swim fast,” she says. “I basically just keep going.”

So how to keep track of her laps?

Along with goggles and swim suit, Margaret packs a waterproof Walkman, four pennies and six nickels. Once on deck, she places the 34 cents in a pile to the left of her lane and begins swimming to the tunes of Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow and Celtic and folk favorites. 

After each lap - a lap is defined as swimming to the other end and back - Margaret stops and moves a penny from left to right. On the fifth lap, she slides a nickel to the right, and the four pennies back to the left. This pattern continues until the sixth nickel moves right, marking 30 laps. Two more laps and two pennies to the right and a mile has been completed with 2 cents to spare.

Margaret is back to improving her endurance and achieving her health goals.
CONCORD LIBRARY SCARECROW FESTIVAL
The "Swimming" Beede contribution to this event.
“The pandemic is still affecting much of everyday life. But there are still things we can control, such as taking safety precautions, maintaining regular physical activity, and practicing good hygiene. Continuing with these regular routines can help us achieve the most beneficial outcomes now and into the future.”

“It’s straightforward, regular exercise has a plethora of overall health benefits and will improve the quality and quantity of life. To live long, healthy lives, people need to be active and conscious of their health decisions. It’s not about how you decide to exercise; just make a routine of being physically active and stick with it. We can’t think of a better time to be active than during a pandemic.”
This October blood drive event at Beede went from rain to shine to 50 donors!
STAY WELL BEEDE