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AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021 • IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT SPOTLIGHTS PAGE 13

Without realizing it, Blair and “We lived out on the farm about 16 miles
Kunau’s other students have learned one way from town. Mom signed us up for
to hold their breath and to not be afraid back-to-back lessons to minimize the trips
of being under water. to town. That resulted in lots of water time
Students want to please Kunau, said for me and established my love of swim-
Blair’s mother, Alli Webb Harper. ming,” she said. “It’s an ultimate equalizer.
“They’ll do anything for her,” Harper Nobody cares what you look like. You don’t
said. “At her lessons, you never see kids have to do your hair, and you only have to
holding on to the side of the pool or wear one item of clothing, a swim suit.”
crying. They jump right in. She keeps At age 15, Kunau took an American Red
them moving.” Cross Lifeguard Course.
Harper, 30, personally understands how “I’m still a certified lifeguard today.”
persuasive Kunau can be. As a child, she was A year later, she passed the American
one of Kunau’s students. Red Cross Water Safety Instruction course.
Harper still remembers some songs “I’ve been teaching lessons ever since.”
and phrases. Kunau often reminds parents about the
To stand straight, “be like spaghetti.” benefits of swimming.
To spin, “be rigatoni.” “It builds endurance, provides overall
“At the beginning of summer I ask my fitness, and it just makes the body feel great.”
kids what they want to do,” Harper said. She offers advice to parents.
“They always say, ‘Swim with Nancy.’ This “Take your children swimming—often,”
is their fourth summer to take lessons. I she said. “A dozen times a year is not asking
want my kids to be confident in the water.” too much. Get in the pool with your kids.
Like Harper, Skye Burch Fletcher, 32, grew Kunau hugs two repeat students, Myles and Rayce They love that. During lessons, put your
up taking lessons from Kunau. She eventually Fletcher, from left. Photo by Skye Burch Fletcher. phone away and watch—seriously watch
worked as a swimming instructor and life- your children swimming and having the
guard during high school and college. Climbing down the ladder to the bottom time of their life.”
“It’s come full circle now with my kids of the pool in the deep end, she sings, She said no matter how many times she
taking lessons from her,” Fletcher said. “Watch your nose and watch your chin, has done it, “it’s still so much fun to teach
“Nancy has had such an impact on me bottom of the pool, let’s begin.” 5- to 55-year-olds to jump into deep water
that I still remember her songs. She’s just While teaching, Kunau recalls how and swim from point A to point B. I don’t
the greatest.” she felt when she learned to swim. Her know of another place where you’ll find
To teach the arm movement for the front mother, Sandy Stoller, brought her and more joy and hear more laughter than in a
crawl, Nancy sings, “Down, down, down, her siblings to the Neptune City Pool in swimming pool.” ISI
and around, around, around.” Rupert for lessons.

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