Donation puts officers in gear

By Jennifer Hoesterey

White Rock Lake Conservancy Executive Director Jennifer Hoesterey, along with members of the Conservancy’s board of directors, will be hosting a giving day party at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18, to coincide with North Texas Giving Day. A fleet of new e-bikes and riding gear will be presented to the Dallas Police Department and its White Rock Lake bike patrol unit. The presentation will take place at the Stone Tables picnic area in the park. They will be joined by City Council person Paula Blackmon, Dallas Police Department representatives and officers from the Northeast Division.

Six years ago, Molly and Leon Banowetz donated a fleet of pedal bikes for the lake officers in memory of Molly’s mother, Tucker Burns. Now, with the help of Conservancy Advisory Board member Reena Morris and the White Rock Lake Conservancy, the Banowetz family and the East Dallas community have joined together to upgrade those bikes to e-bikes, allowing lake officers to cover more ground efficiently — including the White Rock Lake Trail, Santa Fe Trail and SoPac Trail.

“We are incredibly grateful to The Dallas Police Department and the bicycle officers at White Rock Lake who do so much to keep our lake and surrounding trails safe. This generous donation is a wonderful example of how our White Rock friends and neighbors come together as a community to show appreciation and support for the officers who serve us every day.” Leon Banowetz said.

White Rock Lake Conservancy Advisory Board members Reena Morris and Leon Banowetz spearheaded the donations for the e-bikes by reaching out to friends, neighbors and Conservancy members. In just over one month, they raised more than $60,000 for the purchase of fully equipped e-bikes for the officers that patrol White Rock Lake Park. 

The bikes come patrol-ready with lights, sirens, a custom police bag and water bottle cage. The Dallas Police Department already uses e-bikes in downtown Dallas, so officers will be well prepared to integrate these into their lake patrol. The e-bikes allow officers to be more accessible to parkgoers and increase response times by getting around quickly and into areas inaccessible to larger vehicles.

The White Rock Lake Conservancy’s mission is to enhance the identity, beauty and safety of White Rock Lake in partnership with the Dallas Park and Recreation Department. The Conservancy has recently updated the historic Stone Tables area at the lake, including renovations to the pavilion, restrooms and picnic area, and the organization is currently raising funds to upgrade the playground in the area. The Conservancy also recently teamed up with other lake organizations to purchase two new marquees at White Rock Lake entrances.

For more information about the White Rock Lake Conservancy and how you can support the lake, including making donations during North Texas Giving Day, visit whiterockdallas.org.

  Featured