Volunteers donate their time in communities across our region, whether at a homeless shelter, a food bank, or an afterschool program. Charlotte resident Connie Oliphant, 86, was one of those people — and she shared her passion until her final days. According to an American Red Cross Survey, just over half of Americans lack basic swimming skills. Over the past four years, the retired teacher worked to help change that.
A few weeks before she unexpectedly died last weekend, WFAE interviewed Oliphant about her coaching methods and why she loved the pool.
A group of four adult swimmers gathered one recent evening by the edge of the pool with Connie Oliphant at West Charlotte High School. They had their water bottles, towels and swim caps on their heads as they heard Oliphant explain the warmup…