LCRA awards $5,000 grant for new life-saving gear for YMCA of Central Texas

New equipment will help train lifeguards and save lives at Taylor pool

Dec. 15, 2022

LCRA representatives present a $5,000 grant to the YMCA of Central Texas for life-saving equipment for the Doris Roznovak Aquatic Center in Taylor. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Rick Arnic, LCRA Regional Affairs representative; Justin Wirth, YMCA aquatics director; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board member; Theresa Cirigliano, YMCA vice president of financial development; Kolbi Andresen, YMCA executive director; Tyler Bybee, Taylor parks and recreation director; David Stryjewski, YMCA vice president of operations; and Betsy Schultz, Taylor parks and recreation superintendent.

TAYLOR, Texas – Thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority, the YMCA of Central Texas soon will add to the Doris Roznovak Aquatic Center’s life-saving tools.

The Community Development Partnership Program grant will allow the YMCA to buy equipment such as automated external defibrillators, lifeguard rescue boards and a CPR training manikin to help ensure the safety of pool visitors.

“If you don’t know how to swim, there’s sort of a movie concept that if you just jump in, you’ll naturally know how to swim, and that’s just not the case,” said Theresa Cirigliano, YMCA vice president of financial development. “We must be prepared to respond at any time to situations like that, as well as to heart attacks or other medical emergencies.”

The new equipment also will aid the pool’s lifeguards in remaining up to date in their training.

“Two of our lifeguards recently received an award for their actions to save a child,” Cirigliano said. “That could have been very serious very quick and really emphasized how important training is for our lifeguards.”

The pool provides a low-cost option for members of the community to escape the Texas heat, and is one of the most popular recreation spaces in Taylor.

“The community here is growing, and people are looking for free or low-cost recreation options,” Cirigliano said. “Occasionally, people, like that child, can get overambitious and fail to recognize how dangerous the water can be. This grant is significant and we’re extremely thankful and excited.”

The community grant is one of 46 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in January. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.

About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations. For more information, visit lcra.org.

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