12 Jul Surprise Support for Peru Parks
Left to right: Jay Albright, NICF Executive Director; Marcia Minard, MCCF Board President; Alyson Braden MCCF Intern; Rita Jackson and Ann Friend, MCCF board members presented the check to Mayor Gabriel Greer and the Peru Parks board members, Carrie Young, Brian Ege, Sharon Edwards, and Parks Superintendent Mike Bell.
Parks are more than places for children to play. Parks provide many health and social benefits for both kids and adults by providing opportunities to spend time outside with friends and family. Community parks are assets that help residents get both leisurely exercise and exposure to daylight, which increases happiness and decreases stress. Additionally, when a community invests in high quality parks, that community becomes a more desirous place to live, which is beneficial to the local economy.
Parks generally enhance the quality of life in our communities in many ways, which is why the Miami County Community Foundation (MCCF) believes it is important to invest dollars in the parks that we are lucky to have right here in Miami County.
The MCCF is thankful for the work of the Peru Parks Department. This organization helps to maintain the beautiful Maconaquah Park and Miami’s Fort. Maconaquah Park is very large, sitting on 186 acres! It is home to ball parks and basketball courts, several playgrounds, horse shoe pits, a disc golf course, many shelters, and more! The shelters are particularly useful for picnics, gatherings, and events.
Miami’s Fort is also a very unique park made of wood and located along the Wabash River. This park also provides the community with opportunities for outdoor exercise and recreation.
The MCCF has supported local parks with grants in the past, including a $1,500 grant for a sound system and projector for the Peru Parks Department’s family movie nights, and a $2,500 grant to assist with the construction of the amphitheater.
The MCCF recently continued its support by presenting a surprise $1,000 grant to the Peru Parks Department. This grant can be used for any of the organization’s current needs. This grant is one of the MCCF’s series of surprise pop-up grants in celebration of its 25th anniversary.
By supporting local parks, the MCCF is striving to support the overall health and wellbeing of the entire community.
For more information, contact MCCF Director of Development Connie Cutler at 765-475-2859 or by email at miami@nicf.org.