If you were a lifeguard in Vicksburg, then you probably know Bob and Susan Athow.

The Athow’s have been teaching water safety since before lifeguarding classes were even offered.

“Lifeguarding itself didn’t start until the ‘80s,” Bob said. “Before that it was called advanced lifesaving, and we taught that for a while, too. That was part of being a water safety instructor. Then the Red Cross made a course called lifeguarding.”

The Athows have more than 30 years experience each in instructing lifeguards, but their love of water goes back even further.

“As far as teaching swimming, I started teaching swimming in 1965, and then the need for lifeguard instructors grew out of our teaching,” Susan said.

Aquatics have always been important to the Athows, said Bob, a retired civil engineer from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center.

“Three of our four children actually swam before they walked,” he said. “One was born in the summer so he didn’t swim until the following summer.”

Susan, a retired educator, said all four of their children were lifeguards through high school and college.

“It served them very well to pay for expenses, and we encourage all of our students to keep our certification current as long as they may need it,” she said. “We’ve just kept our certifications for longer than the average person.”

Facility manager and aquatics director for the city pool Sylvia Gurtowski said she’s been teaching lifeguarding for 22 years and she’s known the Athows since 1997, when they met through the Red Cross.

“The Athows epitomize the Red Cross,” she said. “They’re just the quintessential volunteers. They’re wonderful, they’re friendly, and if you ask them to do something, they’re glad to do it.”

Gurtowski said years and years of Vicksburg lifeguards have come through the Athows.

“They represent Vicksburg lifeguarding,” she said. “How many lifeguards have been trained by the Athows?”

Gurtowski said the volunteer duo have taught at least once course for the Red Cross since she’s known them.

“To be able to devote 30 hours of your time, that’s a lot without getting paid, without expecting anything in return,” she said. “They do it because they want to and they have the skills and they want to share those skills. That’s amazing.”

Due to the Athow’s volunteer teaching, savings are passed directly on to the students, who might have paid $100 more to take the course in Jackson.

Susan said she and her husband enjoy teaching the course together.

Susan said the lifeguard training course takes about 28 hours total and to qualify students need to be at least 15 years old and able to pass a prerequisite swimming test.

“Our course is open to potential lifeguards for all pools, so there are usually some who work for the Y or work at Warner-Tully, some who work for the city pool, some at the country club, and Marion Park and Knights of Columbus also need guards, but the Y and the city pool hire the most guards.”

Susan said she finds it’s a pleasure to serve the community through aquatics.

“We really enjoy seeing people learn water safety and being able to care for themselves safely in the water,” she said.