Meet Our Board Members

Interested in being a Board Member? Let us know!
WENDELLSWIMCLUBOFFICERS@GMAIL.COM

HUNTER YOUNG

President

WILLIAM DUFFY

Vice President

ASHLEY YOUNG

Treasurer

KALI BOYETTE

Secretary

​RACHEL BLONIARCZYK

Social Media Coordinator

BRIAN PACE
            ALANA LILES                                 STEPHANIE WRIGHT                          WES PARKER


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History of Wendell Swim Club
as written by Julia and Joe Ledford

​It all began with hopes and dreams – and prayers. Eventually eight couples found that they shared a single vision – a swim club in Wendell. Informal conversations began in 1976 as they met in various homes. The discussions began to take shape as serious plans and yielded real progress toward reality in 1978. From the beginning, the consensus was that the club would be a family-oriented swim club and would strive to provide an atmosphere that would be compatible for the primarily church-based families who were interested in the project. The club was envisioned as a recreational center for a limited membership of 250 families.
The original couples were:
  • Jarvis and Dot Beaman – first WSC President and wife
  • Horace and Dot Fuller – purchased share #1 to show their deep commitment to the dream
  • Bob and Gay Grimes – Bob served as club treasurer for many years
  • Joe and Julia Ledford – Julia served as secretary during the development process and for the first 3 years and Joe served in various ways, including club president
  • Joyce and Bill Apple
  • Sandy and Penny Calder
  • Roy and Letha Yancey – unfortunately Roy passed in the early planning stages
  • James and Mary Jo Mills

More History...

Arrangements were made to purchase the property from Shelton Bridgers, to consist of five acres and an easement for a roadway.
The pool was planned to be a Z-shape, 4,000 square feet, 75’ x 36’ in the main run with six 6’ racing lanes. The extensions that would form the opposite ends of the ‘Z’ would be a diving well and a younger children’s area. A bathhouse with covered patio and office/storage area was to be constructed as well as a filter house. From the beginning, plans were to also add tennis courts as funds allowed.
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When Wendell Swim Club began, the price of shares was set at $400 for the first 185 shares, after which the price was set to go to $500 for the remainder of the 250 projected shares. The increase was to help fulfill the additional dream of tennis courts. Dues were set at $100 per year.

On April 5, 1979, the board and shareholders approved by-laws, land purchase, roadway plans and formally accepted the contract. There were extensive wet weather delays and endless inspection details required by the Health Department approval process.

On July 23, 1979, a letter was sent to all 135 paid shareholders, advising them that the delays would mean that we would not swim that year. The letter requested their agreement to allow their dues deposits to be left on deposit to apply as 1980 dues. After seemingly myriad phone calls, conversations, consultations, signed forms, on-site visits, meetings with officials and board meetings, disappointments, challenges and set-backs, finally the plans began to come together and a letter of credit was approved July 23, 1979 for $60,000 maximum, with the stipulation that $40,000 would be loaned until 150 shares were sold and the remaining $20,000 withheld until 240 shares sold.

The first official financial statement was issued July 9, 1979, indicating that the assets, liabilities, capital and operations totaled $72,233.31.

​The Deed of Trust Note for the first $40,000 was signed and sealed on May 5, 1980 by Jarvis Beaman, President, and Julia Ledford, Secretary.​

In 1981, an alternate share purchase plan was designed to boost sales by providing monthly payment options. By 1982, there were 209 shares sold with 13 families on the payment plan. Many people had scoffed and said it couldn’t be done, but faith and hard work proved them wrong. Many people were supportive and that is what turned the tide.

The first swim took place on a cold rainy June day, June 14, 1980, with Kelly Beaman taking the first chilly dive. Other board members’ children soon followed and the first joyous day of swimming began after a long and arduous journey of hope and determination.
Many people assisted in various ways in those early days. According to minutes, Mr. William Johnson built the wooden picnic table; Jo Ann & Billy Byrd and Dot & Horace Fuller donated volleyball poles and net. Jerry and Linda Lee donated a table umbrella. A celebration pig picking was hosted on June 13, 1980, organized by Sid Baynes and volunteers. Paul White, Bill Apple and Sandy Calder promoted ticket sales. Paul later became club president. Buck Nowell contributed many hours of service to help the plan succeed. Wendell Swim Club operated on a slim budget in those early years, so the club logo was a simple line drawing by Julia Ledford, depicting a swimmer and diver.

One of the early club newsletters, dated June 30, 1980, included this post script: “When you have a chance, say a special word of thanks to Dot and Jarvis Beaman and Buck Nowell – you have no idea how many hours and how much mental, emotional, and physical strain has been and will be involved in this project for them! Jarvis was the first one who made the first move to get this project going and has been the one with the monkey on his back the whole time.”

The first newsletter announced an Open Swim Day for members to bring friends and neighbors for only $1 per person as a means of promoting sales. The newsletter covered specific details such as a ban on cut-off jeans, eating and smoking rules, diving board rules, guests and babysitter regulations, dangers of running around the pool – and the importance of training young children to use the bathhouse and not the pool when they needed to relieve themselves. A lot has changed – but sometimes, not so much!
Any questions, please reach out to Wendell Swim Club at (984) 766-1188 or via email at wendellswimclubofficers@gmail.com