EMPIRE -- Having his right arm in a sling did not deter Keith McGinnis from doing his part for this town's new swimming pool.
He took part in a Saturday fund-raiser that involved buying a ceramic tile and making a personal design on its surface.
The money will help with operating and maintenance costs at the pool, set to open June 12. The tiles will go on an outside wall of the building that houses the dressing rooms and snack bar.
"It's our community, and it's a really good thing for the kids," said McGinnis, who has lived in Empire since 1976 and just had rotator cuff surgery.
Plans for the pool emerged after the 2003 drownings of the Yepez brothers -- Eloy, 12; Jose, 10; and Daniel, 8 -- in the nearby Tuolumne River.
The complex, at Yosemite Boulevard and I Street, will be called the Regional Water Safety Training Center. It will have a main pool that's 4 feet deep and 25 meters long, plus a smaller pool where children can play in the spray from fountains.
"We want to teach all the kids to swim," said Betty Parker, who has helped lead the effort and serves on the Stanislaus County Parks and Recreation Commission.
She was at the tile-decorating event outside Empire School, one of several being held for the pool. Donors could pay $10 for a 4-inch-wide tile or $20 for a 6-incher. They could do the artwork themselves or have them decorated by children from low-income families.
Some of the tiles made Saturday had names and handprints. One had a fish, another a frog.
McGinnis put the Stars and Stripes and a shamrock on his tile to reflect his Irish-American background. His wife, Karen, created a seascape.
"I was cold, and I thought, well, let's just go to the beach," she said.
The tiles will be baked in a kiln to protect the designs from the elements in the coming years.
The tile sales are part of a campaign to raise $100,000 each year for ongoing pool costs, said Bob Dittman, a former principal at the school. He is working with community groups and other potential donors.
The $2.6 million for construction came from a state grant, a tobacco tax fund, county developer fees, and donations from the Stewardship Council and others.
The pool will be part of Empire Community Park, which opened in 2004 and features a playground, playing fields and picnic sites.
"The park was great, and the pool will be even better," Keith McGinnis said.
Bee staff writer John Holland can be reached at jholland@modbee.com or 578-2385.
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