Please join Rockland Rotary for a fun evening of local talent at the Family Friendly Variety Show and Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser. All proceeds go to Rockland Rotary's Inclusive Playground Project to be located at the MacDougal Park in Rockland.
Adults $30
Children $15
Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/322497126587
Rockland Rotary Club is raising funds to help build a "universally inclusive" playground at MacDougal Park in Rockland. This playground will be built to allow easy access for children of all physical and cognitive abilities. Rockland Rotary, P.O. Box 1811, Rockland, ME 04841
WABI | Maine Local News, Weather, Sports | Bangor, ME
Link to WABI TV Channel 5 news-aired 3-13-22
Rockland Rotary starts funding for inclusive playground
Ahead of their centennial celebration in 2024, the Rockland Rotary Club wants to unveil an inclusive playground.(Owen Kingsley)
Published: Mar. 11, 2022 at 12:56 PM EST|Updated: 5 hours ago
ROCKLAND, Maine (WABI) - For 98 years, Rotary Clubs have taken on different initiatives to better their communities.
Ahead of their centennial celebration in 2024, the Rockland Rotary Club wants to unveil an inclusive playground.
“One of the things as the child grows and gets older and weighs more is it’s harder for a parent to be able to physically move that child around on a playground,” said Susan Page, a member of the Rockland Rotary Club.
“It’s going to have rubberized surface that is flat. The playground equipment is built low to the ground so children can easily get on the equipment. It comes with safety features,” said Ferolyn Curtis, President of the Rockland Rotary Club.
An inclusive playground has everything that your typical playground has, but the next closest one? All the way in Lewiston. The Rotary Club says it’s their responsibility to offer kids on the Mid-coast something a little closer to home.
“I think those children that have these challenges really need to have some additional resources and to be able to have some location that can provide them the opportunity just to be a kid,” said Page.
They estimate the playground will cost $350,000.
They have a GoFundMe set up, fundraisers on the calendar, and are reaching out to local organizations for grant money.
“To be able to have a moment where they can forget about their daily challenges and just be a kid, I can’t wait to see the smiles on their faces,” said Page.
Their next big fundraiser will be their annual Bass Fishing Tournament at Damariscotta Lake on April 24th.
All proceed will go toward the playground.
Copyright 2022 WABI. All rights reserved.
WABI TV Channel 5 Inclusive Playground Interview
Rockland Rotary's Playground Fundraising chair, Susan Ware Page and club president, Ferolyn Curtis, were interviewed by Owen Kingsley, a news reporter from WABI TV Channel 5, about our club's Centennial Inclusive Playground Project. In celebration of Rockland Rotary's Centennial year in 2024, our club wanted to do a project for children that would fill a need in our community and the surrounding areas. We have playgrounds in our area, but they do not meet the needs of all children and adults. Our goal is to create a playground for children of all abilities and developmental stages so they can play and interact with their peers in a safe space.
Rockland Rotary would like to thank Lexi Zable for sponsoring the "Dine for Donations" fundraiser at the Grey Owl to support our club's Inclusive Playground project. Rockland Rotarians and guests gathered for a fun evening of fellowship.
Rockland Rotary would like to thank Rotarian Lexi Zable for donating a generous check in the amount of $850 collected from the "Dine for Donation" fundraiser at The Grey Owl Bar & Grill in Rockland. She also donated another $40 in raffle ticket sales. We would like to thank the community and rotarians who dined with us and supported this event. All proceeds will go toward Rockland Rotary’s Inclusive Playground Project. From L-R: Fred Newcomb, Centennial Chair, Lexi, Emily Dillion, Playground Committee member, and Ferolyn Curtis, President
Rockland Rotary would like to thank Rotarian Ken Grigus and his wife, Mary, for their generous donation in the amount of $1,000 to go toward Rockland Rotary’s Inclusive Playground Project.
Rockland Rotary would like to thank Central Maine Power for donating a generous check for $2,000 to go toward Rockland Rotary’s Inclusive Playground Project. From L to R: Rotarian Emily Dillon, Sarah Mazurek, Manager of Regional Operations for the Penobscot Bay Region, Rotary President Ferolyn Curtis, and Playground Fundraising-chair, Susan Ware Page.