Dear Editor,

I hope you will support a Parks & Recreation District in Tonasket to help operate and maintain a new pool. A plan to create a Parks & Rec. District has been proposed. We need to have this passed on the November ballot. Tonasket must have a pool.

My first reason why Tonasket needs a pool is that the closest pool to Tonasket is the pool in Omak. It takes at least 30 minutes to drive from Tonasket to the Omak pool. Gas is not healthy for the environment. Driving to Omak takes up a lot of gas. Some people cannot afford the expense to drive to Omak for swimming or swimming lessons. Nearly 70 percent of the Tonasket Elementary students have to have free or reduced lunch so they probably can’t afford to drive to Omak to swim. If Tonasket got a pool, some kids who live in town can ride their bikes or walk to the pool. This helps the environment and helps save money. Also, it’s not a 30 minute drive but a short walk or bike ride.

The most important reason why Tonasket needs a pool is because swimming lessons are vital and a lot of kids in my 5th grade class didn’t know how to swim. Knowing how to swim is vital so that you can save yourself or someone else. About ten kids out of 25 students in my homeroom don’t know how to swim. Some of them only know the basic ‘’Doggie Paddle.’’ For instance, if someone was in a boat on a lake and it tips over, doggie paddling will probably not get them back to the shore. We have had some people drown in the lakes around Tonasket because they didn’t know how to swim – even adults.

My third reason why Tonasket needs a pool is because swimming is fun and a good exercise at the same time. Pools are fun because you can play with toys, floaties and water guns. You can even relax on a nice inner tube. Swimming all alone is lots of fun too. Swimming exercises your arms, legs, and helps your breathing. If we had a pool, we could have a Tonasket swim team.

Please give support for the maintenance and operation of the new pool. We need to vote yes to form a Parks & Recreation District.

Stella Crutcher, Sixth Grade

Tonasket