March 20, 2026
Public domain/Ellen C Miller/Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation is recruiting lifeguards for the summer, and it's offering bonuses and a guilt-tripping parody to boost numbers.
In what is becoming a bit of a summer tradition, Parks & Recreation is once again offering $500 and $1,000 bonuses to lifeguards manning the city's pools. But this time, they turned to a much-memed commercial to get the word out.
The parks department parodied Sarah McLachlan's ad for ASPCA, an inescapable staple of late-night television in the late 2000s, in its pitch. Scored to her ballad "Angel," the commercial asked for donations to support abused animals, shown in slow-motion close-ups. It was, to put it mildly, a lot. But it helped raise $30 million for the nonprofit in a single year.
Philadelphia officials are hoping residents will feel a similar call to action with their spoof of the ad, starring a very sad man with a very sad boogie board. He walks around an empty pool to the strains of McLachlan's song before turning to the camera.
"Will you sign up to be a lifeguard for us this summer?" he says. "Our empty pools are crying out for help, and with your support, we will be able to open them."
Help us save summer☀️
— Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (@PhilaParkandRec) March 20, 2026
Become a Philadelphia lifeguard starting at $16.85/hr. Apply early to earn a season-end bonus:
$1,000 bonus: Apply by April 15
$500 bonus: Apply by May 15
To qualify, you must work 200+ hours and complete the season.
Apply at https://t.co/vR1jvpSRNi pic.twitter.com/1rI3ngcU76
As our dejected pitchman explains, prospective lifeguards who apply by April 15 will be eligible for a $1,000 bonus at the end of the season. Those who apply by May 15 can claim $500. That's on top of the $16.85 per hour wages any lifeguard will make.
Though the guilt-tripping video is new, these incentives have been offered since 2023 to ensure the city's public pools are adequately staffed. Lifeguard shortages prevented several pools from opening in 2022, when only 50 sites welcomed swimmers. The parks department has seen a significant bump in staff since offering the bonuses and was able to open 59 pools last year.
Anyone interested in becoming a lifeguard can apply online, though they'll have to pass a battery of tests first. Applicants can book a time slot here.
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