The little Lions Club that could has puffed its way to the top of the fundraising mountain.
With the help of a $25,000 grant from the Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT), the club has achieved the $355,000 needed to start construction on a splash pad – a small spray park – for Chase.
The amenity will be built at the Chase Memorial Park near the red wharf, next to the playground. It will be similar to the spray park at Blackburn Park in Salmon Arm.
President Beverley Iglesias explains that the club currently has 14 members, with about five who were able to actively work on the fundraising. They started the project three-and-a-half years ago. Although she applied for several grants, the SIDIT application was the only one successful.
Related: Chase splash pad needs funding
Related: Plaque fundraiser for splash pad
The biggest chunk of fundraising, about 100,000, came from the sale of plaques, each for $5,000. In one instance, 50 grandparents put in $100 each. The plaques will go in a kiosk as Interior Health determined they would be too slippery to go around the circumference of the park.
She says about $35,000 came from private sponsors, with another $20,000 donated from the sale of church property.
The bulk of the remainder came from old-fashioned fundraisers: hot dog sales, concessions, dances and proceeds from the Lions RV park.
“It’s quite amazing to raise that kind of dollars,” Iglesias says, adding that the cost started at $200,000 but “kept going up and up… It’s an amazing legacy as this is the Chase Lions’ 50th year of helping and serving Chase.”
Iglesias says she worked so hard on the project because she believes in community.
“I’ve always felt we need to continue to draw people to our community, and you have to have ways to bring youth and life. Chase is kind of a senior community… We need more amenities, more infrastructure.”
In April an engineer will come out to do a site plan and, on May 1, crews with RecTec, the company building the splash pad, will arrive. They will stay at the Lions RV Park in trailers and the community is rallying together to cook them restaurant-style meals, adding up to an approximate $10,000 saving.
While some people have expressed concerns about what the water used will cost, Iglesias says if the park can motivate kids to get off their electronics, and families to get out and play together, it will be worth it.
@SalmonArm
marthawickett@saobserver.net
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter