Dubois Community Park receives $58,000 grant through new endowment
A community member’s generosity recently created an endowment to impact the playgrounds and parks of unincorporated Dubois County communities.
Named in honor of the estate of C.J. Gehlhausen, the Dubois County Community Foundation announced a $58,000 grant to Dubois Ruritan Club dedicated to the building of the first C.J. Gehlhausen Playground in the Dubois Community Park.
Thomas Gehlhausen chose to honor his father C.J. Gehlhausen by making the estate gift to create the C.J. Gehlhausen Endowment. The endowment will provide grants each year for parks and playgrounds in unincorporated towns in Dubois County.
“This is a real gift for unincorporated towns that do not have the tax base to support a park system,” said Brad Ward, Dubois County Community Foundation CEO.
The Dubois Ruritan Club owns and maintains the 11-acre park which continues to be a gathering place. The group hosts the annual Septemberfest and Treats on the Trail to benefit the Dubois Community Park.
“The Dubois Ruritan Club is honored and very humbled to have been chosen,” said Denise Friedman, Dubois Ruritan Club vice president. “This will allow us to purchase and install playground equipment in our park, for the younger children,” she said.
The Dubois Ruritan Club will begin the project this year and plans to have it ready for community use by summer of 2015.
“Adding the playground is just another step of enhancing our park,” Friedman said.
Future playground projects from this endowment will be selected based on a grant application process from unincorporated towns and partnering agencies dedicated to maintaining the playgrounds.
All projects across the county funded from this endowment will be designated “in the name of C.J. Gehlhausen Endowment.”
“This estate gift will be felt in our small communities through the laughter and play of children for generations to come thanks to this endowment,” Ward said.
To learn more about the newly established C.J. Gehlhausen Endowment or to make a contribution, visit dccommunityfoundation.org or call the Community Foundation at 482-5295.
