As Sea Otter transitions ownership, original owners Paul and Rebecca Sassenrath offer their departing words.
As we come to the end of another year, we also come to the end of a season. After more than 35 years, it is difficult to know how to say goodbye to Sea Otter. So, “Fare-thee-well” seems to be a better bidding.
We are excited to pass the baton onto to Dana and Phil Percival. Dana has been at the helm of Sea Otter for over 7 years. It has thrived under her leadership and we know it will continue with excellence and personal connection.
We reflect on our humble beginnings in my, (Rebecca’s) backyard pool down in Southern California in 1979, just after my own daughter was born. After moving to Loomis, CA in 1989, we were able to offer the same high quality lessons in our backyard pool on Helen’s Court.
We later moved to Brace Road and opened with 4 teachers part time for 9 months out of the year. Since that time, we have grown to teaching more than 1200 lessons a week, year round, with more than 25 instructors, and a professional and a friendly support staff that offer everything I dreamed of when I took those first few toddlers, children and adults in my pool in the summer of 1979.
As we move out of the Swim School arena, we will be enjoying more time with our kids and grandkids and will be pursuing other work in ministry and life. We will still enjoy the outdoors and time with our grandkids. We now have a total of 6!
So as we move on to new adventures, we pray that each baby, child, and adult who enjoy learning to swim at Sea Otter, as well as every staff member, will be blessed with the excellence and kindness of the Sea Otter Family. May the heritage of “a place where families love to learn to swim” be carried on for years to come!
Fare-Thee-Well to all, have a wonderful Holiday Season and God Bless Us Everyone!
With Gratitude and Joy,
Rebecca and Paul Sassenrath