City of Valdosta Press Release:

Several donations from community members have provided more than 100 pool passes for local kids this summer. On Tuesday, June 12, City and County leaders joined Roy Taylor, a resident and Valdosta business owner, and Roy Hunnewell with the Elks Lodge as they presented the checks to The Mildred Hunter Community Center.

Valdosta District 1 Councilmember, Vivian Miller-Cody, says she set a goal of getting at least 50 children in the community pool passes for the summer. Miller-Cody worked with Roy Taylor to make that possible. “It allows them to be able to play in the pool daily and have somewhere exciting to go during the summer. What better way to cool off and they have lifeguards watching the children,” said Miller-Cody.

Taylor donated the check at a recent city council meeting, stating that giving back to the children in the community is important to him.

“Councilmember Vivian Miller-Cody approached me a couple years ago and said there were children in our community who could not afford to go to the swimming pool and asked if I would help. No child should have to go through life without a swimming pool and this is a way that I can give back to help the children in this community,” said Taylor at the June 7 council meeting.

Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) staff said they have also worked closely with Roy Hunnewell to make sure children in the community have fun activities to participate in while at the Mildred Hunter Community Center. Hunnewell donated $1,500 for the summer pool pass program, and has also donated close to $14,000 over the past several years for various other programs.

“We will do this as long as we can, and we are already looking forward to doing it next year,” said Hunnewell.

VLPRA also provides pool passes to kids through scholarship programs during the summer.

For more information you can contact the VLPRA Mildred Hunter Center at (229) 259-5407 or Councilmember Vivian Miller-Cody at 229-630-0098.