Bluebonnet and LCRA representatives present a $17,478 grant to the Round Top Library Association for an ADA-accessible deck and outdoor classroom. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Shirley Hernandez-Ross, association board member; Ashlee Lyons, Round Top Family Library programs coordinator; Kyle Merten, Bluebonnet's Brenham-area community representative; Amy Bone, association vice president; Chasidy Nowicki, Bluebonnet intern; Adalynn Lyons, library summer camper; Pam Langford, association board member; Craig Moreau, library executive director; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA board member; Byron Balke, Bluebonnet Board Assistant Secretary/Treasurer; Evie McCullough, library summer camper; Matthew L. “Matt” Arthur, LCRA board member; Keelia Ritch, library manager; Suzanne Ellis, association board member; Sherry Murphy, Bluebonnet's Giddings-area community representative; Stacie Brown, library executive coordinator; and Kate Ramzinski, LCRA regional affairs representative.

The Round Top Family Library will soon build an ADA-accessible deck and outdoor classroom space at its community center annex, thanks to a $17,478 grant from the Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative and Lower Colorado River Authority. 

The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $6,000 in matching funds from the Round Top Library Association, will help create a welcoming outdoor environment for educational programs, wellness activities and community events. The space will connect the library’s education annex and agriculture building. 

“Like many nonprofits, we’ve made the most of the spaces we’ve had, but they haven’t always been open to all,” said Craig Moreau, executive director of the Round Top Family Library. “This grant is helping us create a space that reflects our core values: a great library, a center for education and a true community gathering place for all abilities. We’re so proud to partner with Bluebonnet and LCRA on this.” 

The outdoor classroom will support programs such as Junior Master Gardener, yoga and STEM classes, while also serving as a meeting space for book clubs, wellness programs and inclusive events. The deck’s design emphasizes accessibility and sustainability, including a rainwater catchment system, enhancing agricultural programming and conservation education. 

“Our patrons, from the youngest students to the seniors, are incredibly excited about this new space,” Moreau said. “It opens up more opportunities to host our free weekly programs, support workforce development and help people reconnect with nature and the outdoors. We expect to welcome more than 8,000 participants this year, and this project helps us serve them better than ever.” 

Round Top Family Library is an independent nonprofit that serves Fayette County and the surrounding counties. In addition to traditional library services, the organization offers free educational and enrichment programs year-round to people of all ages and backgrounds. 

The community grant is one of three grants recently awarded by Bluebonnet and LCRA through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund eligible capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. Bluebonnet is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program. 

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in July 2025. More information is available here

Bluebonnet and LCRA representatives present a $24,500 grant to the South Lee County Volunteer Fire Department for a 6x6 semi-tractor truck. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Dustin Schneider, VFD secretary; Mark Fears and Ethan Miertschin, VFD firefighters; Sherry Murphy, Bluebonnet's Giddings-area community representative; Delvin Boriack, VFD firefighter; Russell Jurk, Bluebonnet director; Kaleb Oltmann, VFD firefighter; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA board member; Cole Mertink, VFD firefighter; Kyle Jenke, VFD fire chief; Curtis Oltmann, VFD firefighter; Michael Krause, VFD treasurer; Matthew L. “Matt” Arthur, LCRA board member; and Kate Ramzinski, LCRA regional affairs representative.

The South Lee County Volunteer Fire Department will soon purchase a 6x6 semi-tractor truck to provide a more reliable way for firefighters to access difficult terrain and respond to water rescues and other emergencies, thanks to a $24,500 grant from Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative and the Lower Colorado River Authority.

The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $10,500 in matching funds from the VFD, will enable the department to replace its 32-year-old former military truck with a newer vehicle that will be more reliable and efficient. Repairs on the old truck require expensive and custom-made parts that can keep the vehicle out of service for long periods of time.

“The truck we’re purchasing will be able to hold a lot more water than what our current capabilities are,” Kyle Jenke said, the department's fire chief. “Now that we’ve been expanding the area we’re serving, it’s important that we’re able to carry the water needed to put out some of the bigger fires.”

The department serves South Lee County, and responds to calls in Lee, Fayette and Bastrop counties through mutual aid agreements. It also recently joined the newly formed Lee County Task Force and responds to calls in parts of Burleson and Washington counties.

“The newer truck will be able to handle rougher terrain, so we can get into the tighter areas where a normal brush truck wouldn’t be able to reach,” Jenke said. “We’ve had to do it a number of times already, so we know how important it is for the truck to be able to handle a lot. This upgrade will also make it much easier for us to get any needed repairs done so we don’t have to spend as much money out of pocket.”

The extra wheels on the truck provide additional traction and can be used to respond to fires and emergency rescues, as well as help retrieve other vehicles that become stuck in the mud.

The community grant is one of three grants recently awarded by Bluebonnet and LCRA through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund eligible capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. Bluebonnet is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in July 2025. More information is available here