In the Fall of 2005, Daniel decided to take a fresh pineapple to a swim meet. As a joke, he had the team kiss it for good luck. The team had a great meet, and afterward, they ate the pineapple.

At the next meet, Daniel asked for another pineapple and after kissing it, the team placed it high atop the diving board for all to see. At the end of the meet, the pineapple was given to the swimmer who had the best performance that day.

The pineapple continued to show up at all meets and was a sign of Dan’s love of competition, team spirit and of course his overall personality.

He carried the Kiss of the Pineapple to his high school team at Standley Lake, hoping to inspire team spirit and great swims. These boys embraced the idea, even calling around to find out who had the cheapest pineapples that week!

At the Jefferson county High School League meet, the team from Pomona brought a coconut – nice try, but it didn’t have the same spirit as the Pineapple.

The pineapple traditionally is a symbol of hospitality, but for those of us who have had the privilege of seeing its power in action, it will also be a symbol of strong athletes, good clean competition, and a young man who loved life and lived each day to the fullest.

On Thursday, August 24^th, 2006, three  Pineapples stood guard over Meyers Pool to honor the one who started it all: Dan Lunger.