LCRA, City of La Grange award $11,901 grant for new HVAC units at live music venue
Upgrades to The Bugle Boy will improve conditions in the intimate venue, lower energy costs
Nov. 21, 2022
LCRA and City of La Grange representatives present an $11,901 grant to The Bugle Boy, a live music venue in La Grange, for new HVAC units. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Matthew L. “Matt” Arthur, LCRA Board member; Heather Allbright, Bugle Boy Foundation executive director; Chuck Mazac, Bugle Boy Foundation president; Artie Kieval, Bugle Boy Foundation vice president; Frank Menefee, city manager; Jan Dockery, mayor; and Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board member.
The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $2,976 in matching funds from the non-profit Bugle Boy Foundation, will pay for two new energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning units that will replace ones about 20 years old.
“When we have issues and the repairmen come out, they tell us, ‘They don’t even make this part anymore, we’ll just have to find something that works,’” said Heather Allbright, executive director of the Bugle Boy Foundation. “We’re just grateful to be able to replace these units with LCRA’s help.”
A converted U.S. Army barracks that was moved to La Grange from nearby Camp Swift after World War II, the 80-seat Bugle Boy was formerly a coffee shop that featured local musicians.
“The coffee shop didn’t turn out to be profitable, but people wanted to continue to hear the live music and individual songwriters that the shop’s owner, Lane Gosnay, was featuring,” Allbright said. To that end, Gosnay founded the Bugle Boy Foundation to elevate and sustain original live music for the enrichment of Fayette County residents, Texans and visitors to the state.
Now, The Bugle Boy hosts about 90 shows a year, welcoming notable Texas performers such as the Del Castillo Trio, Kelly Willis, Radney Foster and Jackie Venson, and out-of-state acts.
“We support independent musicians and their original music, and we’re a fair-trade music venue so most of our ticket proceeds go directly to the musicians,” Allbright said. “We also webcast most of our shows so we actually have people tuning in from all over the United States.”
Along with its weekly concerts, The Bugle Boy organizes outreach programs that bring musicians to area nursing homes, assisted-living centers and hospice patients. It also provides musical opportunities for veterans and youth, Allbright said.
The new energy-efficient HVAC units will mean lower utility bills and maintenance costs for The Bugle Boy, and a more-comfortable environment for local and out-of-town patrons who also help boost the local economy.
“We had talked about finding the money to replace the HVAC units next year,” Allbright said. “Receiving the community grant through CDPP was just exciting news. Everybody thought that was fabulous.”
The community grant is one of 46 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves. Pedernales Electric Cooperative is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.
Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in January. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.
About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations. For more information, visit lcra.org.
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