MOUNT VERNON — Members of the Leadership Knox Class of 2008 recently installed new playground equipment on the grounds of The Salvation Army on East Ohio Avenue, and held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the playground to youngsters.
Last year, the old, crumbling playground was dismantled and a nearby leaning tree removed. The Leadership Knox class raised funds for new equipment for neighborhood children to play on. A $10,000 grant from The Energy Cooperative Round Up Foundation Inc. was received for the purchase of the equipment, and other money and items were donated.
Class members donated their effort and energy on a recent Saturday to dig post holes, put the equipment together and landscape the grounds with plants and mulch.
“There were kids chomping at the bit while we worked, just waiting for us to finish,” said Debra Furey, a class member. “There was a lot of community involvement ... so many people have donated.”
Leadership Knox Class of 2008 members are Rhoda Collins, AAA Ohio Auto Club; Sherry Snyder and Phyllis Colopy, First-Knox National Bank; Angie Reiheld, New Hope Industries; Kyle Johnson and Sandy Coffing, CES Credit Union Inc.; Bruce Behner, Knox Community Hospital; Heidi Cline, Blue Fox Group; Dawn Sivik, Ohio Heritage Bank; Debra Furey, Kno-Ho-Co Ashland CAC; Paul George Jr., Mount Vernon Nazarene University; Jason Booth, Knox Metropolitan Housing Authority; Sara Webber, Knox Community Hospital; Dodie Melvin, Mental Health America; Pamela Faust, Kenyon College; and Beverly Goodwill, Hospice of Knox County.
