ROCKWELL CITY — When an opportunity to join a newly formed community group was presented to Bailey Landgraf, she jumped right in like it was a pool.

“I want to make a mark, make a difference in this town,” Landgraf said. “These small towns right now are finding ways to draw people in. You can either die or you can build things. My family has roots here going back to the 1940s.”

The city pool was faltering mechanically, so the Rockwell City Council members asked a few people to join what became known as the Rockwell City Enhancement Committee to investigate what the pool needs were and determine how it could be refurbished.

“This was sparked because the pool needed attention,” said Landgraf, who is an elementary school teacher.

So now she is part of three entities working to boost Rockwell City, a town of 2,200 people. Those are the Chamber of Commerce, Rockwell City Revitalization and the Rockwell City Enhancement Committee.

In boosting Rockwell City, Landgraf is working in a place she knows well, after being raised north of nearby Lytton, and attending school in Rockwell City in the district that merged to become part of South Central Calhoun by the time she graduated in 2012.

The Enhancement Committee was created in fall 2024, with two other members, Scott Porter and Barb Dettmann. The initiatives have come quickly from the committee regarding the pool. A series of fundraisers poured forth by the end of the year, so a lot of money has been pinpointed for the pool, and some modernizations are already in place.

A pool is such a vital piece of recreation for towns that have them, Landgraf said, adding that they are a fun and safe place for young people to spend the summer months. Rockwell City also has a water aerobics time that more senior residents like to use.

Her children, Darby, 7, and Perri, 4, are among the frequent users of the pool, after graduating up from the kiddie pool to the other aspects the last two summers. The pool was built in the 1950s, and was renovated in the 1980s.

After a consultant looked at the pool, the most important needs became known.

“They don’t think the pool needs a complete overhaul,” Landgraf said.

The pool heater had not worked for a few summers, so when sunlight wasn’t plentiful, the water would be chilly.

With sources of money coming from the fundraising, a grant, and some city council budget money, the new heater was installed in late May. A new pump will go to the baby pool, and there is also money in hand to paint the pool this fall after the swimming season is done.

Next in line ideally at the pool, Landgraf said, will be a water slide, at a projected cost of $40,000. A state grant is being sought for that.

“In a perfect world, we could add that next summer,” she added.

“I am excited for people to see the progress this summer, to see, ‘Hey, the money you helped us raise, look at the good it is doing,'” Landgraf said.

When she headed to college, Landgraf initially started with studying health care, but within a year switched to a teaching major. After graduating from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake in 2017, Landgraf has taught for eight years at South Central Calhoun. She started with five years as a fifth-grade instructor, and now has had three subsequent years teaching first grade.

Teaching runs in her family, as Landgraf’s mother, a grandmother and a few aunts were teachers.

“I’ve always had the love of helping people,” she said.

In her work with other groups, Landgraf is proud of the other community activities that happen in Rockwell City. That includes the annual festival, Sweet Corn Days, plus Live On The Square downtown on select Fridays, with live music and food, in events that will happen on July 18, Aug. 1 and Aug. 22.

The Enhancement Committee will have food stands at the Live On The Square evenings to amass more money for the pool needs.

Landgraf is thinking of more initiatives that could come out of the Rockwell City Enhancement Committee. She said the winter months can be drudgery, so she is giving thought to some cold weather activities. She also would love to see more businesses come to town, particularly restaurants.

“Our town has so much potential,” Landgraf said. “We need to brainstorm things in new ways that can be beneficial to our community.”

She paused, then added, “You can have all the ideas in the world, but you need people to do them. I hope we (the Enhancement Committee) are the spark that helps things take off. It is time for a younger generation to help this town grow and expand. That is my hope.”