ASHLAND – After raising $22,000 to cover “hard costs” for the project, the Leadership Ashland class of 2019 is looking for in-kind donations to complete the “Play. Connect. Grow.” playground for Ashland County Job and Family Services.
Designed to be a place where families can reunite and healing can take place, the playground will be located on donated, adjacent land just south of the JFS building on Fourth Street.
Several years ago, property owner Shirley Wolfe gifted the land to Job and Family Services with the hopes of seeing the site used as a playground for JFS. This year’s Leadership Ashland class stepped up to make that vision a reality, said class members Jacob Coffy and Aaron Brenneman.
“Our goal is to provide this atmosphere where natural, loving connection can take place for healing,” Coffy said. “Job and Family Services does the best they can with what they have, however, children are very aware of their environment. When you’re sitting in a room with cameras, it’s not as natural as when you can have a parent outside pushing a kid on a swing.”
With help from various community partners, the agency recently revamped its family visitation rooms with fresh paint, professional carpet cleaning, new games and toys and a few key furniture pieces. The park will offer another place for children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect have initial visits with parents as they begin the reunification process.
Plans for the playground include a playset, swingset and basketball court as well as a covered pavilion with a picnic table and a storage for smaller playground equipment, such as a cornhole set donated by Pathfinder Farms.
Ashland Rotary Service Foundation is serving as the fiscal agent for the project, allowing donations to be tax deductible as the foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization.
So far, the Leadership Ashland class has donated $3,000 toward the playground project and secured three grants totalling $7,500 from Ashland County Community Foundation. They also received a $10,000 donation from Don and Jean Myers.
Now, project organizers are looking for individuals or businesses willing to donate materials and installation of four important features of the park:
- Approximately 175 linear feet of 8-foot tall privacy fencing, ideally vinyl
- Approximately 10 yards of concrete (professional installation help needed)
- Excavation of the site, including removal of asphalt, filling with dirt and grading of the land
- A raised bed garden with mulch, trees, shrubs flowers and signage to name major donors
Leadership Ashland class members are willing to volunteer their time to assist with work on various aspects of the project that do not require professional expertise.
For more information, visit ashlandoh.com/pcg/. To offer an in-kind donation or inquire about the project, email pcg@ashlandoh.com or call (567) 215-0699. Monetary donation checks can be made out to Ashland Rotary Service Foundation with “Play. Connect. Grow.” in the memo line and mailed to P.O, Box 630 Ashland, OH 44805.
