LCRA, Bandera Electric Co-op award $25,000 grant to Greater Medina Lake Little League

New shade structures will protect players and visitors from summer sun

June 5, 2023

LCRA and Bandera Electric Cooperative representatives present a $25,000 grant to the Greater Medina Lake Little League for improvements to its ball fields. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Isaac Guajardo, league baseball player agent; Allison Walker, league treasurer; Jessica Chevreaux, league president; Barton Chevreaux, league safety officer; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter and Carol Freeman, LCRA Board members; Chad Thompson, league coaching coordinator; Michael L. “Mike” Allen, LCRA Board member; Christopher “Chris” Blakemore, BEC District 7 director; Brian Alanis, league field maintenance manager; and Lisa Alanis, league vice president.

BANDERA COUNTY, Texas – The Greater Medina Lake Little League will be able to install shade structures and replace the backstop padding on softball and baseball fields, thanks to a $25,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and Bandera Electric Cooperative.

The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $6,060 in matching funds from the organization, will help provide a safer place for players and spectators.

The fields were built in the late 1990s without shade structures.

“As you can imagine, a sports complex in South Texas without adequate shade to prevent sun exposure creates a big challenge to keep everyone safe from overexposure and its negative effects,” said Jessica Chevreaux, Greater Medina Lake Little League president.

The grant will enable the organization to install shades over the bleachers and dugouts to help protect players and fans from heat exhaustion and sunburn, and make it easier for players to concentrate on the game.

“We’ve been relying on portable equipment from volunteers and spectators, and due to the growth of the league this is no longer a viable solution,” Chevreaux said. “We truly need a permanent solution.”

The grant also will help the league replace backstop padding on its softball and baseball fields, which are used heavily throughout the spring season.

“The padding is worn out and has to be replaced to cut down injuries and improve the safety of the catcher and the batter,” Chevreaux said. “We have at least three games per night on weekdays and sometimes up to 17 games on the weekends.”

The Greater Medina Lake Little League is a nonprofit organization that relies on donations and volunteers to serve children in Bandera, Medina and Bexar counties. Chevreaux said news of the grant was a welcome relief.

“We’ve been working on this grant for almost a year,” she said. “Just to see all of our hard work and effort pay off in a tangible way to offer this to the kids and the community is incredible.

“Being able to have more people come out to the fields, show community pride and teach our children to participate and give back to the community is huge,” she said.

The community grant is one of 34 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. The City of Goldthwaite is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program. Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in July. 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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