If you are a fan of swimming at the Balmorhea State Park then you are in luck.
A fundraising effort to help support and restore the treasured swim spot hit the goal of $2 million this week.
The Apache Corporation presented a $1 million contribution in support of Balmorhea State Park pool repairs during a Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting Thursday.
The fundraising effort started in August 2018 with a $1 million challenge grant, with Apache pledging to match all donations dollar-for-dollar up to $1 million. Balmorhea State Park’s pool closed in early 2018 after a wall collapsed due to years of erosion from the water flow of the springs.
More than 575 donations were received from across the state, with 60 percent of the donations under $100. Several other Texas companies made contributions, including Odessa-based Saulsbury Industries, Texas Pacific Land Trust, McCoy Remme Ranches, Legend Energy Services, Pioneer Energy Services and Garrison Brothers Distillery.
“Balmorhea State Park is a real Texas treasure and an iconic asset for the community,” Apache CEO and President John J. Christmann IV said in a statement. “We’re grateful for the work of both Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and were moved by the outpouring of support from the broader community and our many partners who joined us in this effort.”
What a wonderful way to give back to this area. That pool is a gem and we thank all of those who stepped up to help get in back in tip top shape.
As we predicted a week or so ago, Odessans turned out in droves to help three injured Ector County Sheriff deputies who were shot while serving a warrant.
A hamburger feed organized by ECSO Sgt. Brandon Blake and reserve officer Trent Sellers started with a goal of selling about 200 burgers to help ECSO deputies Josh Pool, 28, Cody Smith, 26, and Ricky Rodriguez, 28.
All three were all reportedly shot by gunman Damon Murad Asad, 33, who was shot and killed after he reportedly opened fire on a SWAT team that included the deputies who were there to serve a narcotics search warrant on Jan. 14 at 7321 Kentucky Ave.
Sheriff Mike Griffis said donations were still coming in but that the cookout raised more than $32,000 in cash and an additional $20,000 in checks with money still coming in.
What a great testament to this area that so many people stood in line for a hamburger on Wednesday to help support law enforcement.
It was quite a site inside Building A of the Ector County Coliseum that day. Volunteers from the ECSO and other county offices showed up early as did the Chuck Wagon Gang, Sclumberger, the Jackalopes, the OPD police cadets as well as firefighters and paramedics.
Some volunteers had just worked an overnight shift but said they wanted to show up to do their part. Volunteers, including the sheriff himself as well as County Judge Debi Hays, manned the tables and delivered hamburgers.
The overwhelming community support is what we knew would happen. It was clearly touching to the three injured officers.
“At times, we work a really thankless job and this is a really good showing for the community to come out and support us,” Pool said. “It really has showed us that the community is really backing us at this time.”
Griffis said as he looked over the crowd at the benefit that he’s grateful to be in a community that cares deeply about law enforcement agencies.
“I really don’t have the words to express my gratitude and thanks to the community for all the support that we had throughout my career and especially the last two weeks,” Griffis said. “We have a great community and a lot of good people in our community.”
