Jan 31, 2014
The investigation has come to a
close. The jury is in.
After extensive interviews with
Village of Saltaire (VOS) elders, a review of the Suffolk County Civil Servant
archives in the sub-basement of the
county administration building,
several Freedom of Information requests
(FOIAs) filed with both NOAA and the
Coast Guard, and a careful review
by the VOS Historian in conjunction
with the Saltaire Lifeguard (SOR) Record Keeper – SOR is proud to announce that
the first lady of SOR is:
LESLIE PRESTON
Leslie resides on East Bay Prom in
Saltaire and also lives in San Francisco during some other part of the year.
She will next return to her beloved Fire Island in August.
Although Leslie was the first woman
to take and successfully pass the famed “Dooley” test, the
path in the sand to the top of the Broadway Lifeguard stand was first walked by Karen Maier. Karen, sister to SOR
alumni John “Herc” Maier, worked and trained for a summer in the late
70’s on the ocean to let the boys of
Broadway know that the women were on their way and they better tighten up their
game. In 1982 Leslie came to Broadway under the leadership of Chuck Jones.
Leslie successfully passed the Suffolk County Civil Servant Ocean Lifeguard
Exam in 1983. She then worked on the ocean in Saltaire in ’83, ’84, ’85 and
1986. During her years with the crew she worked with John Hill, David Kaufman,
Pat McKibbin, George Fontanals, Steve Latham, Chuck Jones, Jon Maier, Dan
Mindich, Ken Savelson, Tom Sconzo and Michael McGowan. In 1987 Leslie returned to the Saltaire
bay front to run the camp program for 2 summers before retiring her whistle in
1988.
Once Karen knocked on the door of
SOR, and after Leslie stormed through it, the steady flow of the Legendary
Ladies of SOR Lore would not and has not ceased. Quick on
the heels of Leslie came Kathy (Koeniges) DeSimone who worked from 85- 88.
Kathy never drifted far from Broadway and she has been spotted several times at
the starting line (as a swimmer) for the Maggie Fischer
Cross Bay Swim (3 times to be exact). In 1988 Erica Hastings, sister to SOR chief John Hill, conquered the “Dooley” test and took
her place atop the tower at Broadway, and since then, 37 years since Karen gave
the first warning whistle, unlike the beaches that surround Saltaire, ladies of
SOR have (wo)manned the chair at Broadway and East Beach.
The Women of SOR Lore:
(*Also completed the Maggie Fischer Cross
Bay Swim)
Leslie Preston
Kathy Koeniges *
Erica Hastings
Jeanine Poucel
Heather Jones *
Jennifer Jameson
Elizabeth Kelly
Nicole Young*
Courtney Jones
Katie Cunningham*
Annie Cunningham*
Catherine Jameson
Meredith English*
Julia English*
Stephanie Palmeri*
Meghan Larocca
Rachel Szakmary
Suzanne Mills
Tanya Pfaffe
Michelle Posillico*
Jacquie Cohen*
Catherine Darcy*
During the lengthy investigation to
unearth the historical facts behind the
Legendary Ladies of SOR several
interviews were conducted. On 3 separate occasions Chief Lifeguard Rich Wilde
gave us a recap of the significance of the ladies of SOR
and their impact on lifeguarding, Fire Island, Saltaire, water vigilance and aquatic endeavors.
38: Thank you for sitting down with us. Can you give us a
little idea of how
you ended up in this position and your history with SOR.
RW: I started with SOR in ’89 and was
hired by Chuck. Joe Campisi (’88– 94) was already
working with SOR and he brought me out. I have been with the crew ever since.
38: That’s been a few years. Do you
and Joe still sit together?
RW: Joe hasn’t worked in a while.
38: Do you know where he is?
RW: I saw a shot of him charging
Mavericks – on a boogie Board – in a
Surfers Journal.
38: Why the green chair when all the
other beaches have white.
RW: (light chuckle) That’s a good
story. An unnamed SOR lady was new to the island. After passing the test she
thought she would join the crew in Ocean Beach to celebrate and then walk home.
Not knowing the island too well she was told to go to the ocean and keep her
“left foot wet” and make a right when you hit Broadway. The next day, after
spending the night in the Robert Moses parking lot she told us that all that
all the lifeguard chairs looked the same and she didn’t know when to turn
right. That’s the last time that happened.
38: Red Suits. Most other beaches are
blue?
RW: The Ladies of SOR have a strong
opinion about color.
38: I guess you couldn’t win that
fight. Any high points that really stand out for you?
RW: Most of the beaches around us
don’t have a cadre of full time women. Any day the women are on the stand is a high
point. Beyond that, well it is great to see the legacies
continue. Erica came on John
Hill's heels, then there are the Joneses, The Cunninghams, The Englishes .
Every women on the list has a great story.
Nicole Came in 2nd place in The Cross
Bay the year the Fischers took it
over. Suzanne Mills left OB to come
work with Saltaire. Tanya Pfaffe, Senior Man Tyson's sister
– worked for the State for over 20 years before she came to work for us. (She
says she was getting in shape to work with us). Stephaine Palmeri
(my nemesis) let's put it this way - I am tired of looking at her feet during the Cross Bay. Rachel Szakmary worked with
both her brothers. My wife, Elizabeth, passed her test at age 30
and was never a competitive swimmer. Meghann Larocca was born on Pomander Walk and
now runs the bay. Michelle Posillico came back to work the stand
after a near fatal boat accident. The list goes on and on. There is no doubt
that Maggie would be on this list too. She trained on the ocean and was going
to take test.
38: Who is coming next?
RW: The Darcy family started 2 years ago. Catherine works on
the ocean now, her brother Andrew is following close behind, and a few other
siblings behind that. I knew her dad when he worked in Ocean Beach as a lifeguard. The Darcys are related to the Ludlows through the way that everyone
of us is somehow related in Saltaire.
38: The legacies continue I guess?
RW: They sure so. I still have
nightmares about being beaten by Catherine’s aunt (Liz Darcy) in the ’95 Cross
Bay. I almost lost my seat on the Broadway stand because of
that.
38: Do tell?
RW: I was in front of Liz the whole race and we were closing
in on the
finish line. She was up sweep from me and rode the incoming
tide to the
finish line and touched me out.
38: Ouch.
RW: Yep. I blamed it on kayaker/
navigator error. If the SOR alumni and
senior crew knew that I didn’t play
the sweep right and blemished the crew's name…..it wouldn’t have been good. Of
all things – The SWEEP. We live and die by the sweep.
I will never get that one back. It hurts every day.
38: Give us one name? Legendary woman
of SOR.
RW: That’s a tough one. There is no
easier answer. Heather was the first
woman to do 10 years on the stand.
That is pretty special. If she played
professional sports she would be in
the Hall of Fame. The road was paved by Karen, Leslie, Kathy and Erica. I can’t
do it – they are all legendary in the world of SOR.
38: Alright – how about the guys?
RW: Mike Asher, 62 years old this
year and still on the stand. He has been
working the beach since he was
16. Tyson Pfaffe, 20 years on the stand
this summer. Pepperoni, the
first senior guard to do 10 years. We have had some epic
senior men – Matt Siben , The Patterson brothers, Adam “The Bull”. The list is
long. Those are just the senior guys while I've been here. Upon reflection
though they are all following in some big prints in the sand – The Cunninghams,
Standards, Savelsons, Sconzos, McGowans, Kampas, Ludlow/Vaultiers, Herc,
Pat.... You aren’t making this easy. We need a thorough accounting
of the SOR history to include all the great folks. Coming up in these recent
years we have the Valentes and a whole new exciting generation of SOR
guards.
38: Let’s finish up then. Who
broke you in? Best moment with the crew? First memory of SOR? Fondest memory on
FI?
RW: Pat McKibbin broke me. Unbelievable
waterman.
38: Best moment with the crew?
RW: Any rescue with the crew is a
great moment. When we went to a lifeguard tournament and beat the Smiths
Point National Championship Yoke team; Seeing SOR Red across the starting line
at the Cross Bay swim; Every day I get to walk onto the beach and jump in the
water.
38: First memory?
RW: That's easy - walking on to the
back deck at the Hill house with Erica when I was 16 and meeting the “older”
guards of SOR for the first time.
38: Fondest memory?
RW: Meeting Elizabeth. No doubt.
38: Lets end on that.
RW: I’ll blow the whistle and call it a day.
