Hailed as a good example of the results of collaboration between several layers of government and citizens, county officials joined with the Town of East Germantown in celebrating a funding milestone.
In a party at the town hall, East Germantown announced that more than $50,000 in donations to its online funding program had qualified the town to receive $50,000 more from Patronicity, a foundation. Donated funds actually exceeded the Pershing playground’s goal.
On Saturday, with two days left in the campaign, she said another $1,800 would allow the town to add more equipment to the playground it intends to build, said Sheila Mills, the project chair.
The town expects to spend at least $118,000 to completely renovate a dilapidated playground next to the former Pershing elementary school. It will include basketball goals, a picnic shelter, swings, climbing equipment and other features.
Construction will probably start in April, said Steve Mills, Town Council president.
“I am all smiles today,” said Jeff Plasterer, president of the Wayne County Board of County Commissioners, who attended. The county had pledged $10,000 to the funding from its Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program (HELP).
Starting 2½ years ago, Wayne County had asked local towns, including East Germantown, to contribute funding to the county’s HELP fund from COVID relief. Each town then decided on projects that would provide a legacy in their town. East Germantown contributed.
Five towns are conducting fund drives to qualify for additional money from Patronicity. Pershing, where the local government is officially called the Town of East Germantown, is the first.
Beth Fields, community coordinator for the Wayne County HELP funds, presented Wayne County’s portion.
“If building a park in its community isn’t a legacy, I don’t know what is,” she said. “Not to mention that this is building a collaboration between the community and county,” using state money derived from federal funding. “I had the privilege to present the $10,000, but I am standing on the shoulders of so many who have put in hours to make this happen.”
Eric Triplitt, commander, represented Cambridge City American Legion Post 169, which donated $2,000.
“It’s all about the kids,” he said. “American Legion is all about the kids and the communities where our membership lives.”
Rance Maiden, a Pershing resident, said she remembered playing at the old playground as a youngster.
When she moved back to town about 20 years ago, “They didn’t have a playground anymore. I have grandchildren who live here in town and now there will be a place for them to play.”
Plasterer said HELP funding isn’t the end of cooperative efforts between the county and local towns.
The Wayne County Foundation is spearheading an effort to qualify for major funding in a new statewide program called Stellar Pathways. In a competitive process, two of the Indiana communities that apply for Stellar Pathways funding will be selected to receive up to $8.5 million each for locally chosen projects.
A version of this article appeared in the March 27 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.