‘For The Love of the Playground’ event raises $47,500 for project
Members of the Columbiana Project Playground board include, fromleft, Lauren Halverstadt, Mallory DeMaiolo, Michaela Good, Fritz Nelson, Stephanie Kale and Lauren Wiley. Through their efforts, over a half-million dollars has been raised toward construction of a new Firestone Park inclusive playground. (Submitted photo)
Columbiana Project Playground volunteer Greta Hawkins, of Columbiana, holds two fence pickets from the original playground, salvaged when razed late last year. The pickets bear the name of contributors were up for grabs for distribution during Saturday’s annual playground event at Birdfish Brewing as mementos, according to organization president Michaela Good. (Submitted photo)
Volunteers Michele Pease and her 10-year-old granddaughter Kendall Good from the Bracelet Girls show off their display Saturday at the annual playground fundraiser at Birdfish Brewing. The girls make the bracelets, which then are sold with proceeds benefiting Columbiana Project Playground. They were able to donate $350 toward the effort Saturday. (Submitted photo)
This piece of Columbiana city heavy equipment razed the original Funland playground right before Christmas and prepared the site for erection of the new playground in 2026. Equipment delivery is expected Jan. 30. (Submitted photo)
This piece of Columbiana city heavy equipment razed the original Funland playground right before Christmas and prepared the site for erection of the new playground in 2026. Equipment delivery is expected Jan. 30. (Submitted photo)
This Nutcracker Guard, salvaged from the initial Funland playground, received a facelift before it is set to be reinstalled at the site of a new playground. Equipment is expected to arrive by month end followed up a contractor’s breakfast Feb. 6. (Submitted photo)
Saturday’s “For the Love of the Playground” annual event included the unveiling of the contents from a time capsule discovered by Columbiana city employees while razing the old Funland in preparation for the arrival of the new equipment in 2026. Once opened, the capsule included photographs, a brochure, swag-like T-shirt and a National City Bank and some newspapers chronicling Funland’s journey. (Submitted photo)
Members of the Columbiana Project Playground board include, fromleft, Lauren Halverstadt, Mallory DeMaiolo, Michaela Good, Fritz Nelson, Stephanie Kale and Lauren Wiley. Through their efforts, over a half-million dollars has been raised toward construction of a new Firestone Park inclusive playground. (Submitted photo)
Columbiana Project Playground volunteer Greta Hawkins, of Columbiana, holds two fence pickets from the original playground, salvaged when razed late last year. The pickets bear the name of contributors were up for grabs for distribution during Saturday’s annual playground event at Birdfish Brewing as mementos, according to organization president Michaela Good. (Submitted photo)
Volunteers Michele Pease and her 10-year-old granddaughter Kendall Good from the Bracelet Girls show off their display Saturday at the annual playground fundraiser at Birdfish Brewing. The girls make the bracelets, which then are sold with proceeds benefiting Columbiana Project Playground. They were able to donate $350 toward the effort Saturday. (Submitted photo)
This piece of Columbiana city heavy equipment razed the original Funland playground right before Christmas and prepared the site for erection of the new playground in 2026. Equipment delivery is expected Jan. 30. (Submitted photo)
This piece of Columbiana city heavy equipment razed the original Funland playground right before Christmas and prepared the site for erection of the new playground in 2026. Equipment delivery is expected Jan. 30. (Submitted photo)
This Nutcracker Guard, salvaged from the initial Funland playground, received a facelift before it is set to be reinstalled at the site of a new playground. Equipment is expected to arrive by month end followed up a contractor’s breakfast Feb. 6. (Submitted photo)
Saturday’s “For the Love of the Playground” annual event included the unveiling of the contents from a time capsule discovered by Columbiana city employees while razing the old Funland in preparation for the arrival of the new equipment in 2026. Once opened, the capsule included photographs, a brochure, swag-like T-shirt and a National City Bank and some newspapers chronicling Funland’s journey. (Submitted photo)
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COLUMBIANA-- Volunteers associated with Columbiana Project Playground are so close that they can feel it, according to board president Michaela Good.
The non-profit 501(c)3 held its third annual "For the Love of the Playground" Saturday at Birdfish Brewing as a massive winter storm moved across the state of Ohio; however, Good said it didn't impact their turnout despite looming weather forecasts.
She explained, " We had our best turnout ever. It was packed."
At the end of the day, CPP had raised an additional $47,500 toward construction of an all-inclusive and accessible playground for all ages and abilities to use within Firestone Park. Hours before Gov. Mike DeWine had issued a state of emergency for all counties in Ohio, as the storm was expected to start overnight. "Our target has always been $680,000 for phase 1," she explained. The guess is that due to the current presidential administration and tariffs that Phase 2, earlier expected to cost $570,000, will no doubt higher now.
Money continued to flow in Saturday as the committee makes its final push for the remaining $180,000 by April 1 to install and finish up the playground by mid-May. The equipment delivery is expected to arrive expected Jan. 30.
On display and available for pickup were pickets from the fence surrounding the now-razed Funland that were salvaged, which many families snagged as valued mementos from their youth.
The event also included more than 60 raffle baskets, two food trucks, a kids' craft area and a freshly-brewed batch of Birdfish Park IPA, which benefited the cause.
At Birdfish, CPP accepted a $28,000 donation from PHD Manufacturing, $12,000 from Sheely's Furniture, another $350 from the Bracelet Girls led by 10-year-old Kendall Good.
Other donations and basket raffle proceeds raised an additional $7,600.
A contractor breakfast is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 6 at Columbiana's Best Western location for additional volunteers willing to donate labor and materials, such as cement walkways, curbing, aggregate and landscaping. Good asks that interested parties RSVP to firestoneplayground@gmail.com by Jan. 30. Breakfast will be provided.