Greed at pool? Just great need.

Byline: Bob Welch / The Register-Guard

IN EVERY disaster movie - say a ship is sinking - passengers in peril fit one of two categories: the me-first louse who steals someone's life jacket, and the good-hearted souls. Meanwhile, some crew members come across as heroic, others gutless.

In Eugene, a potential disaster is brewing - the possible closing of Easter Seals' Stewart Aquatic Center. But, in this scenario, I don't see any selfish passengers or crew members whose greed for speed caused the ship to hit the iceberg.

All I see is a sinking ship that needs help from others still afloat.

It began last month with a letter from Portland-based Easter Seals Oregon to users of the pool, which is named for the family that donated the money for its construction in 1979.

People using the pool for therapeutic purposes - the bulk of its clients, given that the water is kept at a muscle-relaxing 92 degrees - would be charged $5 per swim, up from $3, starting this month. Meanwhile, rumors swirled that the pool was going to be sold.

"It came out of the blue," says pool user Dick Littman, 83.

The pool, at 3575 Donald St., has been a mainstay in Eugene for three decades - a lifeline to 1,800 users a year, many with disabilities. "I can't walk, so it's the only exercise I can get," says 75-year-old Carol Stevenson.

While the $2 more per session might not sound like a lot, it can be for people on fixed incomes, as many of these people are.

"We get the idea they're not terribly interested in supporting a strong activity here in Eugene," says Littman, a University of Oregon psychology professor emeritus.

I UNDERSTAND the concern. I understand the value of such a facility, particularly after watching people enjoying the soothing waters Friday morning.

But blaming Easter Seals for this sinking ship is like blaming the captain for a typhoon. In fact, only a $1 million infusion from the head office over the last decade has kept the aquatic center afloat.

"Frankly, our situation is so tenuous that we have about 12 months to operate as an organization statewide," says Katherine Keene, the board chairwoman.

Easter Seals offers programs in Portland, Eugene, Salem and Medford. All four are struggling, particularly Eugene because of the cost of maintaining a pool at 92 degrees.

"You know what utility bills have done lately," says David Cheveallier, who took over as Easter Seals Oregon's CEO in June. "The utilities alone for that pool are in excess of $45,000 a year."

Donations statewide have taken a nosedive. Some major corporate sponsors have pulled out. And Sept. 11 further darkened the fund-raising picture. Statewide, donations have plummeted from $1.5 million in 1998-99 to $567,000 for the fiscal year that ended Aug. 31.

Meanwhile, insurance costs have risen. Staffing costs - the pool employs about 15 people - have risen. And a tenant that was paying rent to use space elsewhere in the Eugene facility has left.

Bottom line? With only $50,000 raised in Eugene over the last three years, the aquatic center is drowning in a $250,000 deficit.

"I know what a difference this makes to people - that's why I'm in this business - but the reality is we don't have unlimited funds," says Cheveallier.

This isn't about the head office trying to cut loose Eugene? Absolutely not, he says. "Even with the increase, Easter Seals is subsidizing slightly over half of the cost per swim. I don't know of any other service that subsidizes to that degree."

And this isn't about a new CEO flashing his sword? Absolutely not, says Keene. "The changes were the board's idea," she says. "We brought in new leadership when it was clear we were burning down the endowment fund with no replacement plan in place."

The head office has considered all sorts of would-be fixes, from finding partners who might share the pool expense to selling the building and leasing back the pool. No luck.

Raising the user rates - the first significant bump in five years - was a small way to cut the deficit, says Cheveallier.

"The best-case scenario would be key people or corporations stepping up and helping us stay open," he says. "The worst? We close."

"It's heartbreaking to think these people might have nowhere to go," says Diane Madrigale, the aquatic director. "I've actually seen people who couldn't walk be able to walk after therapy in the pool."

Let's hope a few ships on the horizon hear the distress signal - and come to the rescue. In the last two years, a small group of people has donated $500,000 to hang two UO football posters in New York.

Anyone out there willing to heed the call for something slightly more meaningful?

For information on donations, contact David Cheveallier at Easter Seals Oregon, [phone].