A former newspaper reporter who has lived in Franklin for nearly 40 years, Marjorie is active in several Franklin and Hales Corners organizations.
Anyone driving in Hales Corners the past few weeks couldn’t have missed the bright yellow signs posted throughout the village: “Hales Corners Pool Party, August 4, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sponsored by Hales Corners Lions Club.”
I mentally filed that information, so that I’d remember to stop by and support the efforts to keep the local pool afloat. Since July 23 when the pool reopened, it’s been wonderful to see the pool filled with water and lots of swimmers splashing around. Before that, when there was some question whether the Friends of the Hales Corners Pool would generate enough support to open it – and keep it open – the empty pool conveyed that same kind of despair as boarded up, vacated buildings and untended vacant lots with weeds growing up between the cracks in the cement. There are such places in Hales Corners; I hated to see the pool added to those ghost-town images.
In this blog I want to celebrate all those civic-minded individuals who refuse to give up on causes they care about – in this case, the Hales Corners Pool. In particular, I’m thinking of Don Schwartz, who has led a small dedicated group of “save the pool” advocates like himself to keep the Hales Corners pool open each summer since 2003. And I’m thinking of the Hales Corners Lions Club, another fairly small group (28 members) who showed us all how to turn $3,000 into $11,000.
Here’s how: In response to an appeal by Schwartz, the club readily agreed to donate $3,000 to help cover pool expenses for the season. Considering that it costs about $60,000 to keep the pool open for the entire season, the $3,000 would have been merely a drop in the proverbial bucket. Why not have a village-wide party? some of the Lions members suggested. Some day there might be a full-scale party that encompasses the entire Hales Corners Park; for this August 4 effort, however, the Lions Club took over the picnic area closest to the pool.
Then they got the word – and the signs – out. Everyone could swim free for the day. (The usual fee these days is $3 for children, $5 for adults.) There would be music from an on-site DJ, compliments of one of the Lions members, and there would be hot dogs, sweet corn, popcorn, soda and water available for a modest $1 each.
Originally, the Lions Club expected to underwrite the cost of all this food--part of that original $3,000 donation--but then the community spirit got revved up. Maney’s (of local sweet corn fame and operators of the fresh produce stand in K-Mart Plaza) donated all the sweet corn. The Whitnall Boosters donated the use of their popcorn machine together with all the popcorn and supplies. Pick n’ Save of Hales Corners donated the hot dogs, buns, soda and bottled water. And then the Chamber of Commerce jumped in (not in the pool – but in the fundraising efforts): they organized a silent auction to benefit the pool.
People turned out for the event. The non-swimmers bought refreshments, bid on silent auction items and helped fill the big glass jars with cash and checks. (The Friends were prepared to take credit card donations as well.) The biggest single donation of $2,500 came from the Holz Foundation and presented by Doug Nalbert. Lions member Roger Brinkmeier got a photograph of one man inside the pool area making his contribution through the chain-link fence. Even County Supervisor Paul Cesarz got into the act, grilling hot dogs, and County Executive Scott Walker made an appearance.
Blog readers need to remember there are no tax dollars being spent on the pool this year – nothing from the County, nothing from the Village of Hales Corners. Both governments have supported the Friends’ effort, however. The County agreed to lease the pool to the Village for one dollar. (Yes, you read it correctly – just one dollar.) The Village Board in turn agreed to subcontract the operations and management of the pool to the Southwest YMCA. Though for now those costs, such as pool maintenance and lifeguard salaries, are coming from the Southwest YMCA, it’s with the understanding that expenses will be reimbursed from the Friends of the Pool group. Quite an undertaking for a group of 10 individuals!
Of course, Friends like these manage to keep their heads above water with the help of more friends – individuals, businesses and civic organizations who step forward with contributions. There are even volunteers, including a local Girl Scout troop and Schwartz himself, who help clean the building to save expenses there. Other donations have been happily received: inflatable pool toys and a pool table for the indoor recreation area. Schwartz foresees the day when the pool building can function as a community center.
In 2008 the Hales Corners Pool will celebrate 40 years in the Village – the same age as Village Hall. So don’t be surprised if there’s an even larger Pool Party next year.
In the meantime, we all need to know that more funds are needed to keep the pool open th
