First Posted: 2/22/2015
SPENCERVILLE — For many, summertime in Spencerville means hanging out at the local pool.
About three years ago, residents were worried that wouldn’t be an option, as the village almost had to close the pool because of insufficient funds.
Now, the Spencerville Pool Fundraising Committee hosts an annual fundraiser to help fund the pool and any safety or other gear it may require.
This year, the fundraiser was hosted Sunday at Spencerville High School and offered supporters the chance to play “Swimo,” eat and shop. The fundraiser was called “Play and Shop,” as when attendees won a round of Swimo, similar to bingo, they could go “shop” the prizes, valued at $25 or more.
About 125 to 150 people came out to the event, estimated Ida Kay Keller, committee treasurer, which is average for the fundraiser.
The event usually raises about $2,200, of which some goes to the village, some to what the pool managers tell the committee the pool needs and some that gets saved to go toward a new pool, Keller said.
This year, some of the money will go toward helping the pools 10 lifeguards get certified, as the price for certification has increased, Keller said.
Though the committee isn’t worried the pool will close this year, it does like to keep it in good shape for the 150 to 200 residents who use it each day during the summer.
“We don’t have things to do in this community,” Keller said. “It’s something to do during the summer.”
Billie Wood, one of the pool’s managers, came out to support the committee on Sunday.
“Anytime I ask them to help me meet a need for the pool, they’re supportive,” she said. “With government funding being cut, without the pool committee … we would struggle as a community to keep that pool open.”
Kristy Post, a Spencerville resident, came to the fundraiser with her two children and their grandmother. Her daughters, Alexis and Allison, go to the pool three to four days a week with their day care.
“I like to play in the pool,” said Alexis, 5, while her sister Allison, 7, said she likes the water slide.
“There’s really nowhere else for them to swim so I don’t know where they would go,” Post said. “It’s just nice for the whole community.”
