For over fifty years, the Millheim Pool has been at the heart of Penns Valley summers. More than just concrete and water, it has been a place where community gathers. The pool has also been home to the Penns Valley Penguins Swim Team-a program that once welcomed over 150 local kids each summer.

The Challenge

Today, our beloved pool stands quiet. Cracks in the concrete shell and aging infrastructure have forced its closure, leaving a void for both everyday swimmers and the Penns Valley swim team. Without a pool of our own, the PV youth swim team now travels 30 miles each way to Lewistown to train and compete. Even our league competitors in State College have voiced their support, because the spirit of summer swim goes beyond rivalry—it's about teaching kids life-saving skills, encouraging healthy habits, giving them a place to belong and opening a world of discovery.

And the pool's value extends far beyond the swim team. The daycares that visit for weekly outings, the seniors who strengthen their joints in aquatics classes, the local triathlon that begins in these waters, the teenage lifeguards working their first job, and the families who gather for evening swims or birthday picnics—all await the pool's reopening. Rebuilding the Millheim Pool means restoring a hub of community life that serves every age, interest, and ability.

Our Immediate Goal

Consultations with multiple pool experts suggest the pool shell is largely in sound condition, but the upper portion must be rebuilt. It is important to remember that this is a repair and not a make-over. Our short term goal is to reopen the pool as soon as possible, perhaps as early as next season. Therefore Penguins are leading a $100,000 fundraising campaign toward the expensive repairs required. Every contribution will help us breathe life back into this cherished space, returning the sound of splashing water and joyful noise to Soldiers and Sailors Park.

Building for the Future

The long-term vision reaches beyond reopening. With the Millheim Borough's recent purchase of the park and pool, new opportunities for sustainability and revitalization are within reach. Municipal ownership makes the pool eligible for state and federal grants previously out of reach, and a new local authority is being formed to manage the park and pool with renewed oversight and care. Over time and as funds allow, future improvements could include modernized equipment, a splash pad, improved bathhouses, etc. —ensuring that the Millheim Pool continues to serve the community for decades to come.

How You Can Help

This campaign is about more than concrete and construction—it's about preserving a cornerstone of community life. Your gift, large or small, will help ensure that our kids can once again swim close to home, and that future generations can make memories right here in the heart of Penns Valley.

Your support and involvement is so greatly needed: will you consider a gift today to bring back the Millheim Pool that we all love?

Together, we can Save The Millheim Pool and Bring Our Team Home.

Save The Millheim Pool, Bring Our Team Home