by Davy James, Staff Writer
Be it the smell of freshly cut grass or the sights and sounds of a Little League baseball game, there are certain rites of passage associated with the transition from spring to summer.
But for South Brunswick residents, the annual opening of the Willows Swim Club in Kendall Park has helped mark the beginning of summer for the last 50 years, and the club marked its anniversary with its opening Saturday.
”(Willows) is my Aruba,” said member Sandy Faber, who has belonged to the club for more than 30 years. “It has everything you could want and it has only changed for the better. They keep getting new ideas. The management and staff are great and they always greet you with a smile. You see the kids ride by in the winter and ask if it’s open yet. What more do you want from a community pool?”
The club is located on a 6-acre site on Sand Hill Road and offers tennis courts, basketball courts, shuffleboard, wireless Internet access and enough tables, chairs and lounges to accommodate more than 500 people, according to club secretary Bonnie Kudwitt.
The main pool ranges in depth from 3 to 11 feet and the club has a kiddie pool and playground equipment.
”It’s a very safe environment for children, yet they have the independence to use the whole club,” said Janet Finch, who has been a member for eight years. “They can get their own snacks and feel independent, yet they’re constantly being watched. It’s a great place for kids to be independent and safe at the same time.”
The club also has a swim team that is comprised of more than 100 swimmers between the ages of 6 and 18.
”My sons are on the swim team and it’s a wonderful place for them to improve,” Ms. Finch said. “It gives them a sense of team and a place to belong. It’s a great place for kids to just go and socialize.”
The club is member owned by 285 people, with full club membership at 350 families. Pre-memberships are offered to families waiting to become owners, with a full-season, seven-day membership costing $755 and a full-season, five-day pre-membership costing $630. The cost of joining the club is well worth it, according to Ms. Faber.
”It’s run by a bunch of lovely people and they do a great job entertaining everybody, especially children,” she said. “I don’t have a bad word to say, except to the weatherman when it rains. It just enlightens South Brunswick.”
Anyone interested in a membership should call 732-297-9777 or visit www.willowsswimclub.com.
