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Red Cross keeps free swimming lessons afloat
Swim-group
Instructor Cheryl Black talks to young students during class at Gilley Pool on Monday.
The Red Cross may have closed its McMinnville office, but there are no plans to discontinue free swim lessons offered each year by the organization.Learn to Swim director Robyn Kirby says 490 people were served this summer with no plans to let the program sink.“We have to do a lot of paperwork that people in the office used to do, but that’s about the only difference,” said Kirby. “We plan to keep it going because it’s so valuable to the community. It’s one of the last free swim lessons offered anywhere in the country.”Kirby says free swim lessons are available thanks to the efforts of dozens of volunteers.