The Lehighton Area Pool Pals plan to celebrate their 20th anniversary with a fundraising event next month.

While several new volunteers have joined the volunteer community group, the organization treasures the many wonderful memories created with those Pool Pals who are no longer with them.

To keep the memory of those past Pool Pal members alive, the Pool Pals established the Linda Schoenberger memorial swim fund to help less privileged families within our communities obtain a family season pass to Baer Memorial Swimming Pool.

This will mark the fifth year for the fund. A total of 47 family season passes have been awarded. The Pool Pals have set a goal to try to award at least one more pass than the prior year. Last year, there were 26 passes awarded.

The main fundraising effort for the initiative is the organization’s annual Saint Patrick’s Day Gift Card Bingo and basket raffle event scheduled for 1 p.m. March 16 at the Lehighton Recreation Center, 243 S. Eighth St. Doors will open at noon. There will be a total of 20 regular games and five specials. The regular games will have a minimum value of $100, while the specials will have a value of around $300.

Advanced tickets for the event can be purchased at the Styling Zone or Perfect Balance Boutique, both in Lehighton, or may be purchased online utilizing the QR code found on the Lehighton Area Pool Pals Facebook page. Tickets at the door will also be available to purchase.

In addition, there will be a large variety of food, drinks and snacks available to purchase.

Tracie Saunders, committee lead for the event, expressed both enthusiasm and gratitude for the donations that have been received to date, and encouraged others in the community to consider contributing to the cause.

Saunders said that her team of hardworking volunteers are in the final stages of planning, and are hoping for a large turnout to help make the effort a huge success.

Saunders reiterated that 100% of the money raised from the bingo and basket raffle will go toward the Linda Schoenberger Memorial Swim Fund in the hopes to raise enough money to help the Pool Pals achieve their goal and award at least 27 family passes in 2025.

This will be the final fundraiser before determining the amount of money available for 2025 family passes. Passes will be awarded in early April.

Any family feeling they meet the criteria for a family pass can apply using the form available at the Pool Pal website lehightonareapoolpals.org.