“It's not about how much money you make when you’re successful, it’s about being able to give back.”
That’s Derek Meier, operations manager of San Juan Pools, speaking. In a momentous acknowledgement of the contribution and sacrifice of both veterans and their families, San Juan Pools of Eloy built and donated a brand new fiberglass pool to the family of Derrick Gonzales, a veteran who served in the Army for five and a half years. Beside him to accept the donation was his wife Cayla and their two children, Cyrus and Elliott.
The new pool is a 16-by-37-foot pool and spa combo — the Wylela Cove Ultra model — and was installed on March 24 at the family home in Casa Grande, Ariz., via an on-site crane. With Army logos sprayed on its sides, the pool serves as a reminder and a show of gratitude to Gonzales for his military service.
“It’s pretty special that these people are donating this to us and taking their time, doing this, pretty much for free just because I’m a veteran,” says Gonzales in a statement to local news source PinalCentral. “It’s an amazing experience altogether. Just getting everybody together and seeing how family-oriented they are really makes you feel appreciated for the service that’s done by the veterans here.”
The “family-oriented” team that Gonzales speaks of is in reference to the approximately 40 people who gathered at his Woodruff Road property to witness the installation. The spectacle was celebrated by local authorities including Pinal County officials, Casa Grande’s mayor and members of the Marine Corps League Casa Grande Detachment 901.
For San Juan Pools’ owner, Kirk Sullivan, however, the donation represented a personal calling to extend deep gratitude for the veterans who serve, both past and present.
“A lot of people don’t get thanked for our freedom,” he tells PinalCentral. “Our veterans get thanked for their service, but it’s not their service — it’s our freedom. Without them, you don’t have the ability to prosper.
“My uncles were drafted into Vietnam...they came back with no accolades, they were spat on. They were the generation that was never respected. I was raised by my Vietnam vet uncles, who taught me to give back that respect.”
A new pool in the backyard may not be the most typical show of gratitude, but that’s what adds to the heart of the gesture. Pool pros like Sullivan remind us of the importance of giving back whenever and however we can — and in a case like this, a pool was the perfect way to do so.
This article first appeared in the May 2026 issue of AQUA Magazine — the top resource for retailers, builders and service pros in the pool and spa industry. Subscriptions to the print magazine are free to all industry professionals. Click here to subscribe.
