At long last, Lake Highlands will dedicate its new wading pool this month with a party honoring contributors.

It was a matter of “build it and they will come,” but this was no playing field that could simply be plowed and groomed. This toddler wading pool cost the community $16,000.

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Darlene Howell, Lake Highlands Pre-school PTA member and liaison to the Lake Highlands North Recreation Center advisory council, says the wading pool has been a perennial summer subject since 1989.

“The center is so popular during the summer,” says Howell, mother of two, “and so many members had toddlers who needed their own pool.”

The advisory council realized the project was a luxury item. “So if we wanted it built, we knew we would have to raise the funds ourselves,” says Howell, the project chair, “and I decided to go for it,” even though she admits having no previous fund-raising experience.

Howell describes the pool project as an “ultimate grassroots effort” where everyone involved was assigned a specific neighborhood area in which to publicize the pool and raise money.

“The reason we have a toddler wading pool today is due to the cooperation of, and the hard work done by, committee members,” Howell says. The members not only solicited funds, but also donated time to special events, she says.

Howell also credits Pam Osborne, community projects manager for the center. Osborne, however, returns the credit to the committee.

“It has been such a pleasure working with these people,” Osborne says, “and I am continually amazed at the involvement of this community.”

Osborne noted the hundreds of donations in the amounts of $5 to $25 by Lake Highlands residents.

Co-chair Jeannie Burkhalter also praised the community.

“There were so many people involved in this project – preschool moms and dads, involved citizens and businesses,” she says.

The committee raised $1,300 from a community garage sale and another $600 through a silent auction of items donated by area businesses. The wading pool was designed and built by Hobert Murphee of Hobert Pools.

Members of the wading pool committee are: Howell and Burkhalter, Maryann Brodniki, Susan Campbell, Lisa Daniel, Teresa Harris, Janis Jessen, Pamela Kerns, Linda Larkins, Barbara Powers, Susan Scharffenberger, Lesa Russell and Michelle Weitz.

Weitz took her grassroots efforts seriously, setting up an old fashioned lemonade stand in the grass at the park adjacent to the recreation center.

“The idea was well-received,” says Weitz, who operated the stand for several days. “One customer told me to keep the change from a $20 bill.”

While all fundraisers collected several hundred dollars each, at least 10 committee members raised $1,000 each, including Powers, who was the first to achieve that goal.

A brass plaque will be displayed at the wading pool honoring major contributors. They are:

Gold ($1,000) – Lake Highlands Area Preschool PTA; Lake Highlands North Advisory Board; Lake Highlands Exchange Club of Dallas; “Ryan and Diana’s Papa”; and Savings of America.

Silver ($500) – In memory of Frances C. Hanson; Lake Highlands Women’s League; and Four Seasons Garden Club.

Bronze ($250) – Harrison and Christopher Powers; The Body Shop of Garland; Bankers Financial Group Inc.; Parents’ Time Out; Mr. and Mrs. Tex Lezar; Roxanne and Madalyn Russell; Danielle and George Howell.

Also, the Jerry Brockett family; RE/MAX Associates of Dallas; White Rock Kiwanis Club; Jana and John Bertrand and family; Ebby Halliday Realtors; Elizabeth, Kenneth and Katherine Miley; Robert A. and Alexander T. Arnold; and Ben and Julia Halliburton.