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The East Muskingum Civic Association celebrates a major milestone this year.
"In 1968 it was the year the association was incorporated with the state of Ohio," explained board president Jennifer Schenkel Monday.
In that time, families have frolicked on the soccer fields, splashed in the community pool and banded together for service projects.
"I think people like the small atmosphere for our pool and being able to see their children. Plus, we have diving boards which not many (pools) have any more," she said. "Over those 50 years though it's really been the volunteers and the memberships and fundraising that's kept it around."
The pool was built between 1971 and 1972, according to Schenkel and was one of the only pools whose loan came through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's rural development program through the late '80s.
The $150,000 project was "built in 1971 to give local children a family-oriented summer recreation program close to home," according to a Marietta Times article from 2000.
The pool was paid for through a 30-year loan paid off in 1999 as one of the last in the rural recreation program because many community pools had a hard time making payments.
"Back in the 80s it was a point of pride that we could pay it off, that was the birth of our main fundraiser for years with the luminaries," explained Schenkel who grew up in Devola, and now at 41 is raising her family there. "I think I was in fourth grade at the time when my Girl Scout troop helped sell those."
The association faced some struggles though by 2005 after losing memberships for two years. That was after the Marietta Aquatic Center opened in town.
"But they worked through those financial struggles and reworked how services were paid for and completed," said Schenkel.
Those changes included taking advantage of the Washington County Job and Family Services summer jobs program to mow the fields and utilizing a $25,000 grant from the Mills family to the Marietta Community Foundation in 2015. Now, the financial outlook is better, said Schenkel.
"That donation was huge and is what we draw upon for repairs," she said. "But the pool has never been fully renovated, we did some major plumbing repairs in 2014 but it's still the size it was when it was built."
She also noted that last year the tennis courts were redone and the next project in sight is the basketball courts.
"It all started off in the early 70s when community leaders got together wanting more for families to do during the summer," said Steve Schoonover, 56, of Devola, whose father was one of the founding members of the board long before he joined. "So they bought some land and proceeded to put in a recreation area."
The EMCA also maintains its community baseball fields, basketball courts, a tennis court and playground, all through volunteers. Sunday the pool was filled with celebrants and surrounded by live music to commemorate the 50 years.
And the party continues throughout the remainder of the summer with sunny days and dives into the deep end.
But in order to continue on another 50 years, the nonprofit survives on the patronage of families each summer purchasing memberships and daily passes to keep the pool open, clean and working. A family pass to the pool costs currently $215 if they live in the east Muskingum Township area, and $220 for non-residents.
"Our goal is 90 memberships each year, that's a pretty good season," she noted. "We're entirely independent, we don't get any financial support from the township or county so we rely a ton on volunteers and are hoping for a few more volunteers to join our board to make decisions."
The pool is open from noon to 7 p.m. each day weather-permitting through the beginning of the school year.
"I remember being down there when it was being built, in fact, I have pictures of when my dad was part of the construction, I was about 7 years old at the time," said Schoonover. "It is an asset when I was a kid my summers were at the pool all day."
Schoonover said the most frequent groups to make an appearance are parents with toddlers up to 6 years old, grandparents bringing children 6 to 10 years old, and 10 to 13-year-old local youth venturing alone.
At a glance
¯ The East Muskingum Civic Association celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
¯ The EMCA runs the Devola pool through its memberships and the volunteer efforts of the community.
¯ The pool is open noon to 7 p.m. daily weather permitting through the beginning of the school year.
¯ To volunteer or inquire about membership contact emca@suddenlink.net.
Source: Times research.