Families Stay Local for Summer Fun at Willows Swim Club

In the heat of the summer, families seek a place to stay cool, relax, and – in this economy – save money.

Open from Memorial Day to Labor day, the member-owned Willows Swim Club of South Brunswick, in its 53^rd summer, continues to provide a center for affordable, family-oriented summer fun.

Complete with a newly renovated pool with two diving boards, kiddie pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, a sand volleyball courts and a sand play area, the club attracts patrons of a wide range of ages and interests.

“It’s definitely a great family place,” said Kendall Park mother Linda Kenny. “It’s safe, it’s clean.”

Apart from the physical attractions, the swim club also offers free swim lessons and a swim team open to any child from the age of 5 to 18, run by assistant manager Brian Dau.

The swim team, comprised of about 100 children, competes against other swim club teams within the Local New Jersey Swimming and Diving Conferences until the first week in August. It is currently 4-1 for the summer season.

“[The Willows] is really fun,” rising high school senior Ian Moritz said.

Moritz, in his third year lifeguarding at the club and fourth year working at the club, has participated in the Willows swim team since the age of eight and he still is.

“It gives you something to do in the summer,” he said. “And it gives you time to hang out with friends.”

The swim club offers additional programming such as an adult swim period, during which craft activities and kick ball games are held.

“I like the Willows because of the pool -- you don’t have to clean it or anything,” said Michael Delgado. “You just have fun with your friends.”

Another unique feature the club boasts is the second location of the popular South Brunswick dessert spot, Confectionately Yours, which is open every day the club is open, but with limited hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“It’s the same customers from our restaurant that visit here,” Jessica Gondek, an owner of the chain, said. “It’s nice to see the same people in a different environment.”

The club, made up of 285 bonded member families and about 400 additional member families, is run by nine individuals on a board who volunteer year-round to keep the swim club in shape.

“We meet even in the winter and in the summer, we meet weekly or bi-weekly,” said Bonnie Kudwitt, head manager of the swim club. “We try and divvy up the work pretty evenly, but it is a 12-month volunteer job.”

Aside from the head manager, the Willows also supports a staff of two additional managers, three assistant managers, and about 16 life guards.

Currently, the club is fully-bonded, but there are still additional memberships available for the rest of the summer, including August.

“The 9 members of the board do a very good job of balancing the numbers to make the club successful,” Kudwitt said. “In this economy, our membership above ownership is lower than it has been in the past, but it’s still very strong, as is the future of the Willows.”