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Push for playground funding surpasses goal by $20K-plus

By TERRI CASTELAZ, Staff Writer 4 min read

IRON MOUNTAIN -- Lake Antoine Park Partners has surpassed its $40,000 fundraising goal for the "Everyone Plays in 21 Days" campaign, thanks to a major charitable grant, area school students and strong support from the wider community.

The Sept. 21 through Monday campaign was launched to raise the remaining funds needed to complete Phase 2 of the Everyone Plays inclusive playground project at Lake Antoine Park in Iron Mountain. 

Contributions from more than 500 donors, including local businesses, nonprofit organizations and students, helped push the effort past its goal and opened the door for additional accessibility improvements and future projects at the park.

A generous grant of $30,000 from a private charitable fund provided a significant last-minute boost to the effort.

With the grant included, as of Thursday the campaign raised a total of $61,175, exceeding the goal by $21,175.

"It was such a great surprise," Lake Antoine Park Partners Treasurer Ann Hruska said.

She noted the donor had previously worked as a nurse in a health care-related field and understood the importance of making recreational spaces accessible to everyone.

"This was an extraordinary community effort," Hruska said. "We thank everyone who came together for this project."

Donors of all ages and backgrounds stepped forward to support the campaign, she added, demonstrating the community's commitment to creating a place where everyone can play.

One of its recent boosts came from Kingsford Middle School, where fifth- through eighth-grade students organized a weeklong "Play It Forward" competition Oct. 5-9 to raise money for the playground.

Students initially set a $500 goal, which they surpassed within the first few days. By the end of the week, they had increased their target to $5,000. The students ultimately presented LAPP with just more than $8,000.

The student-led effort helped propel the overall campaign forward. At the beginning of the competition, the fundraiser had collected about $9,500. By the end of the week, the total had climbed to $25,000.

Hruska credited the students with helping spread the word about the project and encouraging others to contribute.

"I think they energized the community," she said.

Iron Mountain Public Schools also joined the effort, with students across the elementary, middle and high schools participating in fundraising for the playground.

LAPP officials are looking forward to learning how much was raised.

Hruska said students carried the message home to their parents and relatives, helping generate additional donations from family and friends.

Contributions also arrived from other parts of the country as word of the campaign spread. Support included a friendly fundraising challenge between participants in Maine and Michigan, donations from family members across the country, and personal Facebook fundraisers organized by local residents to benefit the playground.

The timing was especially important, she said, as construction on the latest phase had been completed and project bills were coming due.

"We knew raising more funds after last year's effort for Phase I would be a challenge but we were committed to finishing the project," Hruska said. "We thank all the businesses, individuals, and organizations that contributed in the past year as we worked toward our goal and construction grew closer."

The final installation of Phase 2 was the playground's turf, which was completed in late-September.

One remaining safety improvement will involve placing large boulders along the road and near the accessible parking area in the Phase 1 section of the playground. The boulders will serve as a protective barrier and will be installed in the upcoming months.

With the fundraising goal exceeded, Lake Antoine Park Partners can also look beyond the immediate construction needs and consider additional improvements, including signage, artwork and ways to make existing playground equipment more accessible.

"We have a list of things to do to keep increasing accessibility at the park," Hruska said. "That's our main mission."

The nonprofit plans to establish a maintenance fund to help cover the playground's ongoing needs and future improvements. Donations will continue to be accepted to support those efforts.

Lake Antoine Park Partners is encouraging residents and visitors to stop by the park and experience the new equipment.

"You can't come out here without seeing someone on the playground," said Dickinson County County Commissioner and LAPP member Joe Stevens. 

"We are so happy to be able to do this," Hruska said. "It is a lasting legacy of inclusive play, created by and for the entire community."

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Terri Castelaz can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85241, or tcastelaz@ironmountaindailynews.com.

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