News Release
The Elgin/Sonoita/Patagonia public pool is alive and well. We have, unfortunately lost two notable pool participants, Cuffy Crabbe, who regularly cannon-balled into water aerobics and Judy Starbuck, 96, noted for swimming laps in her bright pink swimsuit top. Role models. We’ll miss them both.
Judy’s family is asking that donations in her memory be made to the pool or to St Therese Church. They also are holding an estate sale at her home at 341 Pennsylvania Ave in Patagonia on March 5 with proceeds going to the pool. There will be a Pool group yard sale out front at the same location, same time. See the PRT weekly email for more info.
The Patagonia Regional Aquatic Center (PRAC), formerly Friends of the Patagonia Pool, finished out the year strong. We fell just short of our target of raising $50,000 in eight months, but now are on our way toward the next 50K. It takes about that much just to maintain the pool and have it open for a season. Terri Schindel is vigorously working on grants for improvements and to build an endowment, so we won’t have to be fundraising constantly. In the meantime, we’re planning fundraisers. Do you have a coin jar dedicated to the pool? Every bit helps. Jan Herron held a spontaneous fundraiser selling sun catchers on Feb 14 at the Valentine’s Day market in
Patagonia. She sold out in two hours and raised over $600. Look for frequent fundraisers at various events and venues and watch for possible dances, cake walk, online auctions.
PRAC is currently working with the schools on opening dates, extended season, lifeguards, and swim lessons and activities. If you could become a lifeguard, or want to be involved in supporting the pool, please contact clarebonelli@gmail.com (no i in clare). We need a few lifeguards that are not students if we are to extend the season, and we can always use more people helping out!
See you at the pool!