The shared Ecole John Wilson/St. Marguerite Bourgeoys playground is $6,000 closer to fruition after Fourlane Ford and Ford of Canada partnered in a unique fundraising effort.
On May 10, Fourlane Ford hosted Drive One For Your School, a program developed by Ford of Canada to raise funds for community projects.
Last year, close to $4,500 was raised to help the Innisfail Middle School purchase new learning technology. This year, they chose the shared playground project as the recipient of their efforts.
“The program is simple,” said Dez Lorencz, Fourlane Ford sales manager. “Customers came into the lot, test drove a car around the block and Ford of Canada donates $20 to the charity of our choice. There is a maximum of $6,000 per event and based on what we saw, we will make it up to that mark although the final tallies are not in yet.”
Lorencz noted the Innisfail Eagles were a large part of the day with players and head coach Brian Sutter signing autographs for customers, as well as manning the barbecue throughout the day.
The shared playground project is being spearheaded by a subcommittee of the Ecole John Wilson Parent Council Society and began last May with a goal of raising $300,000 by 2015, which has since been revised to $220,000.
As of mid-May, close to $93,000 had been raised with $21,000 worth of volunteer work from the Kinsmen Club and in-kind donations bringing the total to $114,000.
Supporters of the playground project include the Town of Innisfail, which donated $10,000, and local citizens and businesses such as Kevin's No-Frills. The group has applied for a provincial government matching funds grant, which it expects to hear about as early as August.
“We were told the government may be back to us by August,” said Erin Fleweling, member of the Ecole John Wilson Parents Advisory Committee. “If that is the case our kids might yet play in the park before snow flies in 2014.”
Fundraising efforts are ongoing in the community with Dairy Queen most recently throwing its name behind the playground.
Fleweling noted the cost of the playground has decreased from its original estimate because the group chose to select equipment on sale instead of purchasing more expensive pieces.
“Now all we are doing is waiting, and continuing to raise funds until we break ground,” added Fleweling. “Our plans are ready to go.”
