Project Playscape

Goal: $18,000.00

Specific Need

Project Playscape continues to help people have hope and believe in the possibility of improvement throughout the community. We commit to projects that make the most impact for children and families. Project Playscape develops a plan, goal, and fundraising strategies to raise funds to provide services, facilities, and programs that are needed in Americus and Lyon County. We strive to build community by bringing members together with a similar goal in mind.

Our projects serve children and families within the approximately 1648 patrons (toddler to adult) who live within our community and surrounding small communities, this number does not include the number of those who would use the amenities we fundraise for from Emporia (24,958 patrons) or surrounding counties.

What amenities you may ask?

Americus Jones Park Playground (completed 2011 & second install 2012) and the Trusler Baseball Complex (completed 2023).

Project Playscape listens to the community's challenges and works to help provide the means to overcome them. We are unique in the fact that we are very transparent and work to utilize local resources and volunteers to help complete our projects in a more cost-effective manner. We would not be as successful if we did not work with others in our community. Utilizing community resources have helped us gain partnerships, new relationships, and has put our community in full support of our continued efforts. 

Great things have happened in 2023!!

• Our biggest fundraising goal yet, has finished and the Ballfield Complex had its big REVEAL! We celebrated and had many weekend festivities planned! The Grandopening festivities included the ribboncutting, a kid/adult fun baseball game, parachutes firework, crafts, community hotdog feed, cake, and a vintage baseball game (with volunteers from our community as our hometeam)!
• Our current goal is to raise the remainder funds needed for the SPLASHPAD by mid Spring 2024. We are halfway to $225,000! These funds will provide a Splashpad with bathrooms, changing area, benches, and canopy/shade. Match Day will help us get even closer to this goal! With your continued help and support we would love to have another big REVEAL and open the SPLASHPAD for Summer 2024 use! With a 4-6week install time, this goal is reachable! What better way to kick off summer than to celebrate with a community invitation to grab their towels, swimsuits, and friends to make a BIG SPLASH!?
• Our next mini goal is to renovate the Americus Basketball Courts! If we exceed our splashpad fundraising, those funds will help make this project happen! This would be a nice improvement for our older kids!

We were so excited to see the ballfields in use this year! EXPERIENCES & MEMORIES built! Check! More to come! Check (with your help)!

Other activities we provide:

• Stocking of the Lending Library at the Americus City Park
• Annual Cookie's with Santa Event to be held Saturday, December 2nd this year! We give out almost 100 goodie bags, books, & crafts at this event. While serving 50+ families with cookies, hot chocolate, and blankets.  

Mission

Project Playscape was founded in 2010 with a mission of raising funds to improve and enhance facilities and programs centered on physical activity, recreation, and team building within the greater City of Americus and Lyon County, Kansas. All children and families benefit from Project Playscape in that it provides opportunities for play and recreation, which is especially critical for the physical and emotional development of children. Through Project Playscape the emotional well-being of children and families is strengthened, as well as the sense of connection and community within Americus and Lyon County. Families consider Project Playscape to be especially critical during the summer months, when children are out of school and looking for something fun and safe to do. In doing so, Project Playscape provides a safe and supportive space, where all children can participate and thrive in. Project Playscape brings together children and families who might otherwise not have connected. Whether it's through the installation of a new swing set, ballfield, or splashpad, all children and families can find a home and fun and supportive place to play through Project Playscape. 

Profile

Aspirations:

Playscape's aspiration and overall, two-year goal, would be to start providing summer day camps or programs for kids during the time parents are working each summer. The amenities we have worked to raise funds for and install, would help with these camps. We would continue to partner with local groups like ARO, FCA & the Americus Fire Dept.

Other items would include:

• Annual Easter Egg Hunt
• Summer Kid/Family Kits for families to pick up and complete at home with their families.
• Monthly fun nights (activities for families to participate during the months of May-August)

We would love to continue the Annual Project Playscape Banquet (3rd year to come).  As we have no operating budget (zero based budget), all donations, grants, and money raised goes specifically to fund each project. This banquet will allow us to have a base budget to continue to fundraise, offer events throughout the year, and help with our future goals in providing speakers, camps, and summer activities for all kids in the community.

We look forward to our Third ECF Match Day and look forward to seeing the outpour of love and support you give to us and others this November! We THANK YOU!!