Play ground of dreams: a fund raising success story.

About 70 miles northwest of Atlanta, the small town of Rome, Ga., sprawls across 30 square miles, near the borders of Alabama and Tennessee. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains, this attractive city of just less than 30,000 lies within a valley, encircled by hills and crossed by three rivers. Ridge Ferry Park, in the county's park system, boasts 60 acres with fishing and river access, picnic shelters, restrooms, natural and paved trails, volleyball courts, wetlands demonstration area and rowing/storage facility. Now, with the help of two determined mothers, the park is home to an extensive new playground system, designed to serve children of all ages. Just how did these women tackle the fundraising efforts needed to build a $250,000 park and play design?

In August 2001, Anne Paige Wilson and her friend Dawn Baker were sitting down to lunch one day, when Baker turned to Paige Wilson and said, "Do you know what? We're going to build a playground!" Paige Wilson was amazed at her friend's proposal, because she had been entertaining the same thought--creating a playground where her children could play within the community. Armed with determination, they set out to make the dream a reality.

First Steps

Their preliminary step was to meet with Bob Saylors, the town's director of parks and recreation. Paige Wilson laughs, "We like to joke that if he had any sense, the poor man would have thrown us out of his office that day. Here are these two moms telling him that we we're going to build this playground, and what's more, that we would have it completed by May! We were afraid if we had asked, rather than stated what we wanted to do, he would have said `No.' In our minds, that wasn't an option."

Saylors sensed their determination, but was concerned about community-built projects he had seen in the past. "Some of the similar playground sites I'd seen were made of wood, with poor construction and splintered components," says Saylors. "I didn't want that type of system, maintenance issues, nor liability factors, in our park." Saylors was familiar with a playground manufacturer located nearby., and suggested meeting with the company to discuss what would be needed to accomplish Paige Wilson's and Baker's vision. The women agreed, Saylors gave his blessing and the project was underway.

That initial meeting with Dominica Recreation, the local representatives for GameTime, helped the parties to outline the equipment, and the funds needed to install it. The women knew they wanted swings, slides, etc., but were surprised at the broad scope of equipment available. The playground representatives helped them design three distinct age-appropriate areas, with lots of play value. Saylors and the park's landscape architect helped design the overall layout.

"The company addressed issues like compliance, accessibility and the needs of different age groups," says Paige Wilson. "They also pointed out issues like sight lines, and the importance of adults being able to supervise the play and keep an eye on their children from any angle. As a mom, this was especially important to me. We told them in `mom' terms what we wanted; they figured out all the technical specifics of how to get it done. They made suggestions and gave us ideas on how we could save money. They were on hand for the installation, offering supervision and advice to the volunteer installers, and also discussed maintenance and vandalism with the park personnel." She adds, "We really loved their dinosaur slide, and so do the kids!"

Early Success a Boost

With a clear plan in hand, and an idea of the funds needed to complete it, the women set out to do some fast fund raising. As members of the Junior Service League of Rome, they decided that

the first phase of the campaign would concentrate on soliciting donations from the league. An annual cookbook sale had resulted in several thousand dollars, residing in certificates of deposit owned by the league. The women knew approximately how much money was available, so they asked for it all--$80,000. They promised the league that if they donated their available funds, the women would somehow raise the balance needed. It turned out there was $60,000 cash available, and Paige Wilson was confident that the league's annual attic sale would raise the rest. "As luck would have it," she says, "we raised almost exactly $20,000 at the sale." It was a great start, but the work had only just begun.

Accustomed to fund raising, Paige Wilson and Baker knew that getting their message out was a key to getting the money they needed. Paige Wilson says, "We began going door to door, telling people we need to raise $20,000 in 30 days, and asking what they would do to help." They also relied on family connections. Paige Wilson's brother is in the landscaping business. The park's landscape designer donated his time and designed the garden aspect of the playground. When he presented his plan, she Paige Wilson took it to her brother and showed him what she needed for the playground. He agreed to donate time and materials, and another phase of the operation fell into place.

Toward Completion

To get the surfacing needed throughout the site, Paige Wilson and Baker used the same fund raising approach on concrete and sand companies. The first place they approached for concrete offered only a 10 percent discount. Paige Wilson politely declined, and continued approaching other companies until she got the figure needed to work with their budget. The playground plan also called for a central pavilion to house family picnics and events, so the women turned their efforts toward raising the money needed for its installation. Aware that the local festivals council had funds available, the women approached it about the pavilion. The council's guidelines provided that all approved projects had to be centered around river enhancement or park development. The Ridge Ferry Park Playground qualified in both respects, as the river ran through the park, near the proposed site. The council agreed to donate $15,000 toward the pavilion, and with the park department labor available, the pavilion was assured.

The department's efforts were instrumental in completing the project. Park employees did all the site grading and preparation, including digging the post holes needed to secure the equipment. With advice from the manufacturer, they also installed the equipment, saving a considerable sum of money, and making completion of the project possible. Local community volunteers helped with landscaping, and much needed relief by way of providing lunch to the hungry crews.

When all was completed, the two mothers accomplished exactly what they set out to do. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to herald the opening of the new playground, and the happy faces of the community's children made it clear that the project was a success. In nine months, the women raised what it takes some organizations years to do. They offer the following tips for others looking to complete a similar project in their community.

* Be aggressive. Don't just ask for help; tell people that you need it. Ask, "How can you help?" instead of "Will you help?" A closed-end question is the quickest way to getting a turn down.

* Don't be overcome by the whole. Paige Wilson and Baker never entertained the idea that they might fail. They simply tackled each task individually, and celebrated each small success as they went along.

* Use your resources. This is the perfect time to call in favors. If you have a friend or family member with talents, equipment or skills you need, ask for their help. Similarly, if you know someone with a connection to an industry or company you need, let them know exactly what you need. It's often easier for them to approach the contact, rather than trying a cold call.

* Ask what help manufacturers can provide. Paige Wilson and Baker got a lot of advice and suggestions from the manufacturer they worked with. "We gave them our `must-have list,' and they were instrumental in making suggestions to make it happen," says Paige Wilson. "Their installation supervisor knew the exact and precise way the equipment should be installed, and their equipment was all drilled and measured at the factory where it was built. Both of these facts made us comfortable with the do-it-yourself approach, enabling us to use the park department labor."

* Don't take "no" for an answer. If you don't find help at the first door, knock on the next one. Someone is always willing to help; you just need to find them. Don't get discouraged by refusals; keep your goal in mind.

* Don't ever think you can't accomplish your objective. Paige Wilson juggles three part-time jobs, in addition to caring for her children. Baker was undergoing chemotherapy during the entire time they were raising funds. Rome is a town of only 30,000, in a county of just over 100,000. Determination is the key to success.

* Be creative when it comes to fundraising. Make the community part of the effort. If they're excited about your project and can see the community benefit, they'll be more inclined to get involved. Look for resources and creative fundraising ideas. Maybe you can sell naming rights to the playground to a local business.

RELATED ARTICLE: Bricks And Mortar.

Creative fund raising is often key to accomplishing such an ambitious project. For example, you could offer the public the opportunity to purchase a personalized brick or tile to be used in a wall near the grounds. They could design it themselves with appropriate paints; after installation, the wall could be sprayed with a protective sealer. Don't forget to ask the manufacturer what it can offer. As an example, GameTime[R] works with the Funding Factory to redeem recycled printer cartridges for playground funding.

Anne-Marie Spencer is the marketing communications manager for GameTime. She can be reached at [e-mail].