• Thanks to community auction, new playground planned for spring.

A Facebook Fundraiser auction has pushed the Box H Park across the finish line of their community fundraising goal, making it possible for the park’s Board of Directors to move forward with plans for a new playground, pending the completion of a few remaining business donations and community grants that require a 50% community match.

For two weeks community members and local businesses donated goods, items and services to the auction. Members of the Facebook group were able to bid on the items in an auction format. The auction closed at 11:00 a.m. on Monday with the highest bidder winning the item.

“We reached our goal, and things are looking really optimistic for a playground in the spring with the community contributing 50% of the funds,” said Emily Martin, who serves on the Box H Park Board of Directors and was instrumental in spearheading the fundraising efforts. “We still have a few moving parts, but feeling really optimistic we’ll be able to purchase the equipment in December. We’re super grateful for all the donations of items and bids. The community really came together to support the park. We had almost 140 items donated and 550 members of the group.

“We are also grateful for the businesses that have backed us and donated either monetarily or in a donated item,” concluded Martin.

Donated items range from local baked goods, event and concert tickets, business and community services and even a South African Safari. In addition to the Facebook auction, the Box H held numerous other fundraisers such as community cookbooks and puzzles, and hosted events like a car show, drive-in movies and the annual Box H Pioneer Day celebration. The goal was to raise enough money through grants, business donations and community support to purchase the equipment for the end of 2023, with the expectation that prices would increase in 2024.

After the completion of the auction, Martin posted to the group “We are optimistic that things are lining up perfectly for this project and we look forward to meeting you at the Box H Park in Fairview in the spring to celebrate this success, from a crazy dream to reality! Thank you!”