San Antonio APSP Members Make Dream Come True
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Building Natalie's pool, left to right: Tom Draves (partly hidden), Bruce Calhoun, Pat Walsh; photo courtesy of Pat Walsh; Inset: Natalie Lozano; photo courtesy of S. Lozano. |
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Pat Walsh of The Above Ground Pool & Spa Company, and several other APSP members from San Antonio, answered a little girl’s dream this year in record time. On Wednesday, October 18, 2006, Mr.Walsh received an email letter with this subject line: “San Antonio Child with Cancer Hopes for a Miracle: Her Own Swimming Pool.” The letter went on to say that Natalie Lozano, a twelve-year-old girl fighting a lethal cancer, had one special wish, to have her own swimming pool. Family and friends had tried to raise funds, but needed help. They were hoping that someone could take up donations or discount a pool for this special child. The letter’s sender, Ms. LeNae Onstad, a friend of the Lozanos, followed up with a phone call.
This was a unique request for this pre-teen who has been struck with cancer three times in her short life. In September, her right leg was amputated to stave off an aggressive Osteosarcomic tumor. Natalie’s first fight with cancer came at age three, when doctors were forced to remove an eye. Her mother, Sylvia Lozano, said that Natalie had always been an active child and that swimming was one of her favorite activities. Now that the cancer had returned and she had lost a leg, she was self-conscious about going to a public swimming pool.
This moving letter had quite an impact on Walsh, since he is also the father of a twelve-year-old girl. He replied with a few questions concerning their project. It turns out that The Above Ground Pool & Spa Company had the exact products to fulfill Natalie’s wish. Mr. Walsh contacted several other APSP members in the industry: Paul Walter of SCP, Kimberly Levin of Pentair, and South Texas Chapter board member Tim Clark of Pool Concepts. All three rallied together to donate their time, products, and energy to fulfilling this special request. The pool-building season was still at its height, and everyone was very busy, yet Natalie’s story touched them all and this project became a top priority.
These helpful and gracious APSP members built Natalie’s pool approximately 30 feet from the rear patio of her parents’ home. Within one week they had installed a 24' diameter aboveground pool with accessible entry steps and a heater for Natalie, at no cost to her family. The pool was completed by Friday, October 27th, only nine days after Mr. Walsh received the letter. Natalie will be able to swim all winter in 85-degree water, since the pool was built with extra insulation, a solar blanket, and a propane tank for the heater. Keeping the pool warm enough throughout the winter is important, since every minute counts towards making Natalie’s life as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
The generosity of these APSP members in volunteering their time, expertise, and products will bring more happiness to a little girl in need than anyone could even count. Natalie and her entire family would like to thank the APSP for their donations: Pat Walsh of The Above Ground Pool & Spa Company; Kimberly Levin of Pentair; Tim Clark of Pool Concepts, Paul Walter for organizing the propane tank delivery, and Dausin Electric for providing electric service for the pool pump and heater.
