The summer of 2025 is a special year for the swimming pool at the Simon Family JCC, with a record number of 40 guards, enabling the pool to remain open throughout the summer without closures due to staff shortages. But what is truly unique about the summer of 2025 is the multitude of siblings and familial relations on staff.
One pair of siblings is Tom Edwards and his brother, Michael Lapinski. When asked about what it was like to work with his brother, Edwards, the Simon Family JCC’s athletic director, says, “I communicate really well with him, [and] we also laugh a lot with each other.” Lapinski, who has been a lifeguard and first responder for much of his life, joined Edwards at the JCC after COVID and became a trusted colleague and important member of Edwards’ staff.
In addition to four groups of siblings working together, two parent-child pairs are also collaborating. In 2024, Paul Mulcahy and his son Quinn worked as lifeguards at the JCC, and this year, Mulcahy’s daughter Grace is joining the JCC family as a swim instructor. Mulcahy, now 63, started his lifeguarding career in high school and continued throughout college, after which he worked as a helicopter rescue swimmer for 10 years. About working with his kids, Mulcahy says, “It’s fun; I like seeing them take charge, and my son Quinn was hired first, so I guess he’s my boss.”
Tara Clark and her daughter Mia are also working together at the JCC this year. Although Clark has yet to have a shift with Mia, she says that she “was excited by the idea of working with my daughter.”
Working with family is special, and this year, the pool at the Simon Family JCC is a place where families can work, play, and enjoy the summer weather together.
The Metzger Outdoor Aquatic Center opens most days at 11:30 am and offers activities ranging from swim lessons to aquatic workout classes and plenty of free swim and frolic time. The Dreyfus Family Indoor Aquatic Center, which features a heated therapy pool and more, opens most days at 5:30 am. For specific times and to get the pools’ current temperatures, go to simonfamilyjcc.org.
Families of Lifeguards at the Simon Family JCC
