LCRA, Bluebonnet Co-op award $25,000 grant to Delhi Community Center
New windows, exterior siding will complete renovations on historic venue in Delhi
Dec. 1, 2021
LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative representatives present a $25,000 grant to the Delhi Community Center for new windows and siding. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Rick Arnic, LCRA Regional Affairs representative; Cindy Woolley, Delhi Community Center treasurer; Dee Rodgers, community center member; David Reininger, community center trustee; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board member; Rebecca McMullen, community center secretary; Ray Rodgers, community center trustee; Gary McMullen, community center president; Betty Platt, community center member; Billy Platt, community center member; Joyce Buckner, Bluebonnet community representative; Wanda Donovan, community center vice president; Milton Shaw, Bluebonnet board member; and Jo Anna Gilland, Bluebonnet community development representative. Seated are community center members, Adrian White and Joyce Rodgers.
CALDWELL COUNTY, Texas – The Delhi Community Center will be able to complete its building renovations by installing new windows and exterior siding thanks to a $25,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative.
The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $15,000 in matching contributions, will allow the center in Delhi to replace broken windows and deteriorating vinyl siding.
“Now we can replace the broken pieces of the center’s exterior to prevent any damage from the elements to all the restorations we already completed inside the building,” said Rebecca McMullen, secretary of the Delhi Community Center Association. “The grant will help us keep a valuable piece of our history in use. This building has been a part of Delhi for a long time, and it still serves an important role as a place where we, as a community, come together to celebrate each other.”
The community center’s building was constructed in 1890 as a one-room schoolhouse. Later, a second room was added to the Delhi School, which remained in use until the public school consolidated with the McMahan School District closer to Lockhart in 1947.
“My husband’s family went to school in that very building – both of his parents, his aunts and his uncles,” McMullen said. “We put a lot of work into refurbishing the inside of the building and now we need the outside of it to match. The center has a historical marker out front, and we want visitors who stop to read it to see a building that reflects how much pride we take in our community.”
Double-paned windows that more resemble the building’s original windows will help save on utility bills and create a more attractive location for community events, including graduation and birthday parties, reunions, 50th anniversary celebrations and various organization meetings. The Delhi Community Center Association also hosts its annual fundraiser there.
“Every year, we throw a Christmas party for the whole community,” McMullen said. “Everyone in our community is so supportive and donates to keep the center going – including people who are new to the area, as well as those who have moved away but still own land here.”
The community grant is one of 32 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. Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative 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 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.
About Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative
Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative is one of the largest electric cooperatives in Texas and has been serving its members since 1939. Bluebonnet serves more than 114,000 meters and owns and maintains 12,000 miles of power lines, located across more than 3,800 square miles within 14 Central Texas counties. Bluebonnet’s service area stretches from Travis County to Washington County, and from Milam County to Gonzales County. For more information about Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, go to bluebonnet.coop and follow the co-op on Facebook and Twitter.
Media Contact
LCRA: Clara Tuma
512-944-6719
[email protected]
Bluebonnet: Will Holford
512-332-7955
[email protected]
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