What's expected to be a very long fundraising effort was kicked off Friday in Vulcan.

Ron Markert is the chairman of the Vulcan Lions fundraising committee raising money to build a new pool in the community.

"The Lions built the first one in 1945, they built this one in 1977, and so this one is now 40 years old and we want to replace it," he says. "The Lions have it near and dear to their hearts for the pool in town and so we felt that we were the ones that had to take the step to get it going and try to raise some funding to put this project into town."

Little Bow Wildrose MLA Dave Schneider won a coin toss for the right to buy the first ticket for the raffle and was thrilled that he did.

"It's one of these places in a community where everybody gathers in the summer, lots of kids, lots of parents come to watch their kids, it's kind of a necessity for these small towns, there's no question about it, it's one of the crown jewels," Schneider says.

Markert says it still gets lots of use from its opening in late May to the closing each September.

Vulcan Mayor Tom Grant buys his raffle ticket

He says they have a 2017 Ford Focus and a 2016 Kawasaki side-by-side up for grabs in the raffle and both were generously donated by local people so 100 per cent of the proceeds from ticket sales will go to the pool project.

The draw will be held March 10, 2018 at the Lions' Oyster Feed.

They need to raise $3-million over the next three to four years for the pool.