MONTICELLO, IOWA. The Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust has announced a matching gift of $157,521 for use in the Camp Courageous Pool Renovation HVAC Project (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system).

According to camp's director, Charlie Becker, the camp's indoor pool is one of the favorite activities for all individuals with special needs who attend camp each year. In addition to the over 6,000 campers with special needs using the pool each year, the pool is an asset to the area, offering an extensive after school winter swimming lesson program. Running from December until March, approximately 400 children participate in this program. The pool is also open daily to the public for open swim hours and pool rentals. Between campers and the public, it is estimated 100,000 individuals have used the pools since it was built.

The Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust funded half of the original cost of the pool... which represented $375,000 of a $750,000 project. The project grew to $1-million-dollars when many of camp's traditional volunteer contractors, who had never worked on a pool of this size, did not want to take the risk of a project of this magnitude.

In 2010, Aquatics International Awarded The Camp Courageous' Indoor Pool "2010 Best of Aquatics -Wellness/Rehab Center". The judge's commented, "The camp's commitment to its donors' dollars is very impressive."

Camp is now seeking funds, to be matched by the Carver Trust up to $157,521, for an HVAC system for the Camp Courageous Indoor Pool. The pool is about 12-years old, and due to the nature of chemicals and water used within the structure, the current ventilation duct system, housed within the cement deck that surrounds both pools, has substantially caved in. This has greatly limited the free flow of air, dehumidification, and the quality of air in the building. Currently only one of two dehumidification systems work. The camp decided it would be better to install a new overhead HVAC system, than spend thousands and thousands of dollars making repairs---just to get by for another year or so.

Gifts of $1,000 or more will have a block engraved in the pool to the donor's liking. Donations can be sent to: Camp Courageous Pool Project, PO Box 418, Monticello IA 52310 or go on-line at:  www.courageous.org.

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