"We're the first African American swim club in the nation and the only one," said club president Kathy Jordan.
The club was founded 53 years ago after two African American families were denied admission into the all-white Yeadon Swim Club. With over 200 members, the Nile welcomes all nationalities.
Recently, the club fell into economic hardship and had to file for bankruptcy. Now, as if things weren't bad enough, someone broke in over the weekend and stole the club's two computers and other equipment.
"We're in the process of fundraising. All of our letters, our information, our membership, all of that was on the computer," said Jordan.
Jordan's staff points out that the property is surrounded by fencing with barbed wire on top. But they seem to think whoever did this climbed over the fence where it's been compromised by overgrowth, and where there's a woodpile on the other side to climb up on.
"Oh, and by the way, whoever did this even took the time to make themselves a pot of coffee. Now who does that?" said Jordan.
"That is someone who is very comfortable being in that building," said Yeadon Mayor Delores Jones Butler. That is someone who is very comfortable being in the area."
Butler is outraged that someone would burglarize the Nile, an iconic jewel in the community.
"I don't know who it is but I know it's wrong," she said. "The Nile is struggling to keep it going, we're struggling to maintain the heritage of the Nile."
Having to come up with $150,000 in back taxes by December 6th, the club now has to replace the $2,000 in computer equipment that was stolen.
The staff says they're down, but not out for the count.
"We're excited about what we're doing and where we're going, and we're going keep at it because we're not going lose our club," said Jordan.
Anyone with information about this weekend's burglary is being asked to call police.
