LCRA, City of Goldthwaite award $10,570 grant to American Legion Post

New electrical wiring will allow the American Legion Hall to accommodate larger groups with increased comfort and safety

Dec. 5, 2022

LCRA and City of Goldthwaite representatives present a $10,570 grant for upgrades to the American Legion Harry F. Edmondson Post 289. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Mike Pope, Johnnie Martinez and Stephen Schwartz, American Legion members; John Braun, commander; David Corbell, American Legion member; Phil Wilson, LCRA general manager; George Harland, American Legion member; Carol Freeman, LCRA Board member; James Miller and Craig Wright, American Legion members; Steve Dyer, LCRA Regional Affairs representative; Tim Darnell, American Legion member; Fisher Reynolds, LCRA chief of staff; Savannah Early, Hill Country Heart Yoga; and Mark Toppert, American Legion member.
GOLDTHWAITE, Texas – The American Legion soon will make upgrades to the Legion Hall at the Harry F. Edmondson Post 289, thanks to a $10,570 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and the City of Goldthwaite.

The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $22,460 in matching funds from the post, will enable the American Legion to upgrade electrical wiring in the 60-year-old building.

“Right now, we do not have reliable electricity in the Legion Hall,” said Mark Toppert, grant project officer. “Between the struggle of the air conditioning and popping breakers, the building simply cannot handle large capacities and is in desperate need of updating.”

The Legion Hall is operated by Post 289 and is available for use by anyone in the community. Toppert said people have used the center for family reunions, wedding receptions, weekly yoga classes, monthly American Legion meetings and other local events.

“These upgrades will make the building much safer and allow us to better serve our members and the community,” Toppert said. “It also will become more accessible to larger groups in the community.”

LCRA General Manager Phil Wilson said LCRA is pleased to help make the hall more accessible and comfortable year-round, enabling it to host more and bigger events.

“People come from all over to attend community events at the Legion Hall, and now they won’t have to worry about whether the air conditioning can keep up on a hot summer day,” he said. “Larger groups can plan meetings there knowing the original 60-year wiring has been safely updated to today’s standards.”

Having a suitable meeting space available locally helps keep meetings and other events in the community, which helps support area businesses and is more convenient for residents, Wilson said.

Toppert said the American Legion puts on an annual fish fry and community garage sale. Most of the money raised at these events has been set aside to go toward the renovations.

“Without the help of LCRA and Goldthwaite, the material cost of the electrical service upgrades would’ve delayed the project at least three more years,” Toppert said. “Now, we will be able to complete this project in 2023.”

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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