LCRA and the City of Goldthwaite awarded a $25,000 grant to the Texas Botanical Gardens and Native American Interpretive Center for an outdoor classroom for soil and water conservation education. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, front row, left to right, are: Steve Dyer, LCRA Regional Affairs representative; Jeannie Rollo, Board member of the Texas Botanical Gardens and Native American Interpretive Center; C.T. “Tommy” Head, TBGNAIC Board president; Martha Leigh M. Whitten, LCRA Board member; and Susan Lindsey, executive director of TBGNAIC. Second row, left to right: Ralph Ynostrosa, TBGNAIC Board member; Savannah Early, TBGNAIC garden manager, Suzan Garner, TBGNAIC Board member; Pat Gustafson, TBGNAIC Board member; and Sherill Duren, TBGNAIC Board co-secretary.
GOLDTHWAITE, Texas – The Texas Botanical Gardens and Native American Interpretive Center will build an outdoor classroom to encourage soil and water conservation with the help of a $25,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and the City of Goldthwaite.
The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with a matching contribution of $6,500, will pay for the construction of a pergola with a large planter and a portable stage in downtown Goldthwaite. The new classroom will enable experts in natural resources to deliver interactive programs and activities throughout the year.
The Texas Botanical Gardens and Native American Interpretive Center is part of Goldthwaite’s Legacy Plaza, a one-block downtown revitalization project that includes the Goldthwaite Welcome Center and a pavilion. The plaza is becoming a popular meeting place for groups and associations, as well as a tourist attraction. The new outdoor classroom will add an additional venue to the complex to help welcome visitors and promote the conservation of natural resources.
“The mission of Legacy Plaza is to provide a dynamic, interactive, life-long learning experience while identifying and preserving the prehistoric and environmental aspects of this rural region of Texas,” said Susan Lindsey, executive director of the Texas Botanical Gardens and Native American Interpretive Center. “Water and soil conservation are vital to the future of Texas, and this grant will enable us to develop an outdoor classroom to complement the Gardens and the pavilion.
“We’ll be offering information on everything from the best ways to water yards and plants, to ways to use less water on farms and ranches, to the importance of rainwater catchment systems,” she said.
The new space will house water and soil conservation displays to encourage hands-on learning about the importance of being a good steward of the ecosystem, wildlife, plants and bodies of water. The shade and green space will offer folks a haven from the Texas heat while providing a living classroom.
Lindsey said the grant from LCRA and Goldthwaite will help residents for years to come.
“Thank you for joining us as we continue to grow,” she said. “Without your support, this vacant lot would continue to remain an eyesore and a hazard, but thanks to LCRA and the city, it will help us honor the legacy of our ancient ancestors by modeling soil and water conservation to the next generations.”
This community grant is one of a number of grants recently awarded through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which provides economic development and community assistance grants to cities, counties, volunteer fire departments, regional development councils and other nonprofit organizations in LCRA’s wholesale electric and water 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 a partner in the grant program.
Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted from Jan. 1-31, 2020. 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 enhancing the lives of Texans through water stewardship, energy and community services. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934. For more information, visit
lcra.org.
Media Contact
Clara Tuma
512–578–3292
clara.tuma@lcra.org
Source: LCRA Business News
