‘It’s a Christmas miracle’: Loyal Splash Pad receives $150K matching gift
A local project that had started to seem like an unachievable dream recently got a huge funding boost, just in time for Christmas.
Dr. Eldon Hill decided to match up to $150,000 of funds donated to the Loyal Splash Pad, meaning every donation made will automatically double in value. Eldon Hill grew up in Loyal and graduated from Loyal High School in 1938, and this matching gift will be in honor of the Class of 1938.
“We are so grateful!” wrote Kaila Fitzl, project organizer, in a Dec. 21 Facebook post announcing the matching gift.
Eldon Hill has been a huge supporter of the Loyal community. In 2014, he decided to place the majority of his estate into endowments to benefit his hometown. One of these is the Draper Hills Financial Literacy Endowment, which funds the employment of a full-time certified teacher who implements financial literacy education and programs for grades 3-12 at the Loyal School District. Another is the Draper Hills Scholarship Fund, which provides thousands of dollars in college scholarships to three to five Loyal High School graduates every year.
This latest gift will help to create an outdoor attraction at Loyal’s West Side Park with spray nozzles and other water features for the young and young at heart to enjoy. Carter Hill, speaking on behalf of his father, Eldon Hill, said he could see the value a splash pad would bring to the whole community. “A visit to eastern Oregon for a family reunion last summer allowed us to stop at a park in Madras, Oregon. The park had beautiful, shaded trees, picnic tables and bath/ changing rooms around a splash pad. It was hot, but the center of attention for children, seniors and wheelchair-bound residents as well as tourists traveling through town,” Carter Hill wrote in an email. “It was magical to everyone participating in the freedom of flowing water. It reminded us of a similar exhibit at Disney World years earlier and the effect it had on all who had never experienced anything quite like this. “The location (in Loyal) near the school and adjacent park will provide a gathering place for the entire community and nearby communities to congregate and enjoy this fantastic asset! A similar fountain at Seattle Center/ Space Needle has had the same ‘magnet effect’ on multigenerational visitors,” he added.
Dr. Eldon Hill, shown here on his last birthday, has agreed to match all donations to the Loyal Splash Pad project up to $150,000. As a fundraiser, the splash pad committee is seeking 102 people to each donate $102 by Jan. 11, Hill’s 102nd birthday. See the “Splash Pad Coming to Loyal” Facebook page for details.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
With this latest gift, Eldon Hill reenergized a project that had been starting to lose steam. A few years ago, Fitzl had the idea for the splash pad. In 2019, she started talking with the Clark County Community Foundation, the fiscal sponsor for the project, and in 2020 she put together a committee of community members. The committee got the approval of the City of Loyal to put the splash pad at the West Side Park, if they could raise the necessary funds.
In three years, the committee raised about $120,000 — a sizable amount but well short of the overall $375,000 goal. Lately, there had been some discussion about whether they ought to continue the project.
“It feels amazing [to get this matching gift] because the whole splash pad committee was starting to feel a little defeated. We were questioning, ‘Is this what the community really wants? Should we just take what we raised and put it toward updating the playground equipment?’” said Fitzl. “But we just kept praying, praying, praying about it and then we found out about this gift. We were like, ‘It’s a Christmas miracle!’ So now everyone’s rejuvenated and ready to go again. The feeling is, ‘Let’s keep going, let’s get this wrapped up and get it done.’” The committee has already come up with some new creative fundraisers. For one, Eldon Hill will celebrate his 102nd birthday on Jan. 11. In honor of the occasion, the splash pad committee has set a goal of 102 donations of $102 by Jan. 11. Donations can be dropped off at the Loyal City Hall, given to any of the committee members or made online by following the link on the “Splash Pad Coming to Loyal” Facebook page.
Fitzl is also getting the local kids involved. Students at Loyal Elementary will have the chance to wear birthday hats to school Jan. 11 and can bring money to donate to the splash pad. The goal is for the school to raise $102. Fitzl also planned to contact the surrounding communities’ schools and see if they had interest in participating.
“It’s not just for Loyal kids. We really want it to be for all the surrounding communities to participate and enjoy,” said Fitzl.
The splash pad committee also plans to host bingo at the Loyal City Hall from 1 to 3 p.m. on Jan. 15, Feb. 19 and March 19, as well as “Dueling Pianos” March 31 at the Loyal American Legion.
“‘Dueling Pianos’ was a great event for us last year that brought in about $15,000,” said Fitzl.
In addition to raising money from events, the group is hoping to receive inkind donations from local businesses. At the end of January, the committee plans to meet with contractors, such as for excavation, electrical, concrete and plumbing work, and see if any local companies are willing to donate time or materials.
“We are hoping to start construction in the spring,” said Fitzl. “Also, we lost out on a lot of grants before because we were so far away from our goal, but now that we are closer, we’re hoping more folks will be willing to chip in.”
Donors still have the opportunity to purchase a personalized paved brick to “pave the way” to the splash pad or sponsor a specific water feature. For more information, visit clarkccf.org and click on “City of Loyal Splash Pad Project.”
Information on upcoming events can be found at the “Splash Pad Coming to Loyal” Facebook page.
