When you reach the grand old age of 100 it would be pretty normal to rest up. However, for Peggy Konzach from Eugene, Oregon, there is no stopping her from not only keeping fit, also but using her time to share her skills with others.
The centenarian wakes up in the morning and goes to her local YMCA to swim, and — despite being way beyond retirement age — she continues to give swimming lessons.
The senior, with a real zest for life, shared with Kake.com that she has been giving lessons at the YMCA since 1968. And she has been there for so many years that she has taught different generations within the same families.
It’s just a joy in my life. I’m playing with them. I’m not working, I’m playing.”
Konzach found her vocation by chance when she started frequenting her local pool just to swim. However, when a friend asked her to take a baby swim class, she agreed and has never looked back.
The lessons are not only useful for her little swimming pupils, but they also have a wonderful benefit for the super-fit Konzach:
I’m inspired to get up in the mornings, get ready. And I still drive my car and come to the Y and spend the morning.”
And just to make sure she also keeps fit, when Konzach is not giving classes, she’ll swim up to 12 laps a day.
The unexpected benefits of helping others
While Konzach maintains that her active lifestyle and healthy diet are key to her impressive age, the fact that she is using her time to help others can also be a contributing factor to her longevity.
Various studies show that there are many benefits to helping others in life, including one from University College London that shares how volunteering “alleviates loneliness” and “staves off disease” — both keys to a long life.
