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Photo by Andy Atkinson Steve Vosburgh, 15, of White City removes rust at the Cacade Community Pool in White City Saturday. Volunteers have spent long hours cleaning and painting the facility after forming an organization to operate it. Volunteers paint poolhouse White City group needs paying members to stay afloat By KATHY MORGAN WHITE CITY -- Joy Reich may be a retired teacher, but she's not the retiring type. When this Eagle Point resident found out this fall that the Rogue Valley YMCA was closing its pool on Division Road, she went off the deep end. "My kids learned to swim there," she said. "I did my water aerobics there. It's something this community needs. We couldn't let it close." Reich sprang into action. She agreed to lead a community group to reopen the waters. That's when Cascade Community Pool Corp. was formed. "When you consider we've done everything since Sept. 30, including incorporating, writing by-laws, applying for nonprofit status, getting the volunteers and on and on, we've done a lot," she said. The pool will open full-time beginning Jan. 4. And so far things have been going swimmingly. Right now the pool is open from noon to 3 p.m. Monday through Wednesday for open swimming. But while others frolic in the water, Reich and a group of volunteers -- usually six to 12 people -- spend their days scrubbing, painting and working up a sweat to get the building in shape. Built by the White City Corp., the pool was given to the Eagle Point School District in 1974. In 1981, the district leased it for a dollar a year to the YMCA, which kept it going until this year. The YMCA decided to stop operating the pool amid concerns over repair costs. "The pool really is in good shape," she said. The 79,000-gallon concrete pond holds up to 40 people. The water temperature is kept at 86 degrees. "It's lovely." But the building needs help. "We're cleaning up the rust, making sure the beams are secure, just giving it a face-lift,"she said. "I can't even begin to guess how many hours we've spent." The main pool area is be painted by Dave Braaten, a local painter who is donating much of his time. Meanwhile, Reich and her army of paint-spattered volunteers are fixing up the dressing rooms and other common areas. "We've had a lot of help, but we can always use more volunteers," she said. And money. "Who doesn't need more of that?" Reich said. But she's grateful for the sum already donated. Reich estimates that nearly $5,000 in money, materials and expertise has been donated to the effort. Radio station KZZE has raised more than $2,000. But that doesn't cover all the costs. "Right now we're out on a limb," Reich said. Cascade Community Pool needs 200 to 250 members in order to be self-sufficient. "I think we can do it," she said. Monthly membership fees range from $8 to $21. The one-time joining fee is $10 to $30. The pool will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays. Swimmers can also splash around on Saturdays from noon to 1 p.m. for lap swimming, and from 1 to 3 p.m. for open swimming. The daily charge for nonmembers to use the pool is $2 for adults and $1 for children 13 and younger. For information about volunteering, call Reich at 826-2520. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA