Letters to the Editor
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I grew up in Chinook and am proud to be a Beeter. I’ve lived in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho for over 40 years but Chinook will always be home.
The Chinook Pool and park needs our support to fund essential improvements. I no longer have property in the area but have close friends and family residing there. Generations of residents - young, old, rich and poor - have enjoyed the pool. It is crucial to preserve these recreational anchors for future generations. Hundreds of individuals have had swim lessons, learned lifesaving, or competed on the Swim Team at the Chinook Pool. My early experiences with the Swim Team turned swimming into a lifelong sport which I still enjoy today.
When I think of the old Chinook Pool and Swim Team, Mac and Nan McLaughlin come to mind. The McLaughlins dedicated fifteen years to coaching the V.F.W. Swim Team. During summer weekdays, they were coaching morning, noon and night, and then would travel to swim meets on the weekends. The McLaughlins were very involved in the A.A.U., serving in various capacities at the local, state and national levels, and won many awards. Mac and Nan touched many lives by teaching the value of athletics, metal toughness and teamwork.
Almost ten years ago, a Swim Team reunion was enjoyed by a number of former members, and Mac and Nan were in attendance. They were so impressed by the “new” pool. Which they never had the opportunity to coach at. Sadly, the reunion was the last time I saw my former coaches. Harold “Mac” McLaughlin passed away in 2020. I’m very grateful for their dedication to Chinook youth.
– Nita DePriest Magnuson
