Small Town News

Thrive for Five Banquet a huge splash for Pool

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It was an awards night for just being generous donors in keeping the LeRoy Community Pool a flourishing part of the community for the next five years. Nobody could say enough about how great the "Thrive for Five" program had in accomplishing its goals and provided the community with a solid, vital program for the year-round indoor pool.

Jim Koenigs, who is the President of the LeRoy Community Pool board, had to accept the credit for being the leader in promoting the commitment of the community in keeping the pool open and maintained. In his welcome to the large crowd brought together at the Travel Lanes last Wednesday evening, Koenigs generously extended the credit back towards his fellow committee members and the generosity of the businesses and individuals who supported the program.

"We're so amazed and excited with what was done that we wanted to share it with you by having this supper," commented Koenigs.

After the buffet dinner, Al Hodgdon praised Koenigs for his efforts in making the Thrive for Five program a reality. The program actually raised enough money to keep the pool open and fiscally sound for five years through contributions by businesses and families.

"I love the opportunity to have water to swim in," commented Hodgdon. "For a community of this size, it's remarkable we have this beautiful pool. We're so fortunate. When we started this private group and the Thrive for Five program, I didn't think it was going to work...but I had no foresight. It took leadership and a lot of good followers. Jim Koenigs led this thing through. Granted we had a lot of bumps in the road, but it was Jim who had the knowledge and the foresight to make this happen."

Pool manager Elaine Mills continued the program with exciting news about the usage of the pool, comparing the numbers from 2009 to the months of 2010 when she has seen huge increases in the pool's usage from all directions. Mills stated that in her first seven months working at the pool, there as an attendance of approximately 10,000. The last two months it totaled 11,000!

The manager also commented about how much payroll the pool provides in salaries and how it provides jobs for local high schoolers. Mills also stated she's learned much about the swimming pool in the past year and is learning more every day. She's also come to the conclusion that there is a lot of work in maintaining a good pool system and that "sometimes" you need a good husband to help out from time-to-time.

Mills introduced two college students, Becca Mills (Elaine's daughter) and David Johnson (son of Lloyd and Jane Johnson), who each gave short talks about the "effects the local pool has had upon each of their lives, in school, in high school and in college.

Becca said she had "grown up at the pool" because it came into being when she was a toddler along with her family being so active with swimming at the pool. She stated she took swimming lessons at the pool and then became a lifeguard at the age of 15 and the next year earned her WSI. She has taught and guarded the past seven years and currently has landed a job at the "Y" in Cedar Falls for her first year at college.

"Lifeguarding gives you confidence, responsibility, dependability, and life saving skills in and out of the water," added Becca. "It will benefit me my entire life."

David provided his listeners with a story about his lack of interest in swimming when he was very young to his sincere appreciation of having had the opportunity of swimming in high school and then becoming a leader in college swimming competitions.

"In third grade, Mom took me to my first swim team practice and I fought her the entire way to the pool," laughed David.

He went on to say that he competed against some "natural athletes" as teammates, going against Chad Orum and the Hanks boys.

"I may have not have been as good as those guys at first, but what I learned is that if you put in hard work, it does have a payoff."

He eventually went on to swim with the Austin Swim Team and later represented the UW River Falls program.

He said that many of his college teammate swimmers could not get over that a town the size of LeRoy had an indoor year-round swimming pool and that he came from a class of 27 graduates. "That just doesn't happen," commented Johnson, who was proud to lead the college team as a captain his senior year. "Swimming has been a huge part of my life. It's been so beneficial and has even helped me in my job career, even though I had to send out 150 resumes to get my job--but I believe having taken part in swimming in college and being a captain did help me land that job-David also recognized the effort of the Thrive for Five program and said that it truly is "something good" for LeRoy. "You just need to keep this good thing going," closed Johnson.

Recognition plaques were presented by Joanne Souhrada and Georgena Bird, Joyce Evans and Gwen Hamilton, Kari Olson and Al Hodgdon.

The handsome, permanent plaque, which will hang inside the lobby of the pool, was presented by Koenigs and Mike Souhrada. These presenters are all directors on the pool board.

The vision statement has met its goal: To provide a safe, convenient, fun, healthy and clean indoor pool all year round.

Pool Benefactors included:

Baudoin Oil Co., Inc.

Bio-Application LLC

Ron & LaVonne Eastvold

First State Bank Minnesota

John And Becky Frazer

Grass & Sons Seeds Inc.

Jeff & Colleen Jennings

LeRoy Johnson Farms

Lloyd & Jane Johnson

Klapperich Farm Systems

Ostrander Farmers Co-op

Pinicon Farm

Robert & Joyce Plumb & Family

Bob and Jan Soltau

Anonymous

Major Contributors were:

Tom & Pam Bye

Dave * Kathy Farlinger

First LeRoy Agency

Steve and Julie Kasel & Family

Lohuis Construction Inc.

Russ and Kathy Roe & Family

Leonard & Brenda Soltau

Mike and Joanne Souhrada Pool Boosters included:

Charles and Marsha Anderson

Ron and Georgena Bird

Tom and Barb Hovde

Gary and Tlisa Schaefer



Copyright 2010 Lafayette Nicollet Ledger, Lafayette, Minnesota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2011 Lafayette Nicollet Ledger LeRoy, Minnesota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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