Rural Community is Awarded a Grant for Aquatic Center
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My favorite awarded grant; Reagan County Aquatic Center. Building a beautiful Aquatic Center to my community meant more to me than I could have ever dreamed!
This is a funny story that turned into something that I’m so proud of. Husband David was the President of the Reagan Memorial Hospital Board and Ron Galloway was the Hospital Administrator. David needed to talk with Ron one evening, so I went with him. As I was sitting in the truck, right next to where David and Ron were talking through my window…I overheard them talking about how the hospital could use an indoor swimming pool, or a way that the senior citizens of Big Lake could do their exercise therapy without having to drive over an hour to go to a larger town. (I think they were talking just a little bit louder so I could hear them.) Nothing more was said, but we went home and my mind was spinning. I couldn’t sleep, so I spent most of the night on my computer researching grants.
The next morning I was about to explode….David didn’t even have 1 sip of his coffee and I blurted out…’I can get your indoor swimming pool!’ He kinda knew that my wheels were spinning. Do you think I was meant to overhear their conversation?
I needed to present this all to the hospital board to get approval to apply for a grant. This was going to be another grant that I would work on at no charge, since David was the President of the Hospital Board and it would be a conflict of interest. But this was a project that could change our community and help so many people. It was a happy grant.
David and Ron set up a meeting with an Architect, Jack Meek, from San Angelo. They thought we could work well together because Jack wasn’t just an Architect, he was into jazzy art, theater, and was really hip. Such a talented man!
We hit it off right away and both of us started planning and plotting. I told him of my vision, I didn’t just want an indoor pool, I wanted an Aquatic Center! Jack was right there with me. It would have a heated swimming pool that would be deep enough for aqua aerobics, big enough for water sports like volleyball; a hot tub for therapy; a sauna; storage area for equipment and new bathrooms with lockers.
The board had tons of questions, where would we get the cash match to match the grant? Who would use this indoor pool? What age group was I targeting? This would be a big project for a small rural town. Who would actually use this all purpose aquatic center?
I explained the seniors in our town were a big target group and would benefit so much! They aren’t really able to use the exercise room and equipment, but they could exercise doing aqua aerobics and they wouldn’t have to drive over an hour each way. We had sports injuries and oil field accidents. A therapist could come and evaluate the cases and set up therapy.
The main concern was the cash match. I explained that the county could do some of the work, like excavation, etc. This would count as inkind for the cash match. The N.W. Hickman Charitable Trust had been set up a long time ago for the betterment of thier fellow man in Reagan County. I applied to three foundations: Center for Rural Health Initiative, Abell-Hanger and San Angelo Health Foundations. The Foundations matched each other and the N.W. Hickman Charitable Trust, along with personal donations from Mayor Frank and Bonnie Sandel; Evelyn & E.G. Cauble, Jr., leaving the county to match with the equipment and labor for a lot of the foundation work. Total project cost was $349,000.00.
We broke ground on October 18, 2001. Pictured from left to right: Mayor Frank Sandel; Imogene Jackson; Jack Meek; Rhonda Holt; Warren Wilburn; Johnnie Gay; Charles Bobby; Ron Galloway; Ramona and David Werst.
I was there every step of the way with the Architect Jack Meek and I reported regularly to the Hospital Board. Jack said this was just as much my project as his, so he always consulted me and he took care of all the technical details. He did hold back one big surprise for me until the very end, it was a detail that was so special to me. I’ll show you in the pictures a little later.
The official Ribbon Cutting for the Reagan Memorial Hospital Aquatic Center was on April 18, 2002.
I was so honored that on the plaque at the entrance of the new Reagan County Aquatic Center I’m even listed! This really was a dream come true and I couldn’t believe how beautiful it is.
Drumroll……
Let me show you the Reagan Memorial Hospital Aquatic Center!
When you enter the aquatic center, the Women’s and Men’s bathrooms with lockers and showers.
A full Sauna.
Heated Swimming Pool.
Whirlpool Hot Tub.
A view of the building.
And here was my surprise. Jack made sure there was a little extra funds to add a special touch just for me…Dolphin Tiles, not only on the hot tub, but all around the pool!
David and I visited Big Lake and had to go and visit the Aquatic Center. We have heard many stories of how the women love their Aquatic Aerobic classes, the men even have their own classes, the therapy success stories and there was even a water volleyball league.
This is the type project I had been dreaming of all of my life, to make just a little difference in people’s lives.
Working with the Reagan Memorial Hospital Board, the special people in the community, and becoming friends with Jack Meek, are memories that will always be in my heart.
The best part of this project was working with David and having all of his support and belief in me that I could do it.
With the oil boom, Big Lake has grown and the hospital has been moved to a new location. I have seen pictures of the new hospital and it really does show how much the little town has grown. The Reagan Memorial Care Center and Aquatic Center are still open and I hope that the folks in Big Lake are still enjoying the Aquatic Center.
This was my ‘Happy Grant’ and I can say I left a piece of me in Big Lake. Thanks to all for letting me be a part of Big Lake and wonderful West Texas.