Contributed by Mike Feazel, Lake Monticello News
In an informal start for the fund drive to build an all-inclusive playground at Lake Monticello, a yard sale on Vine Ridge Drive raised $4,000 Saturday, four times its goal, for the Lake Monticello Community Foundation, organizers said.
“It just fills my heart to see how the community turned out to support this event to help fund the new playground,” said Foundation President Nancy Parsons. “Who ever heard of a yard sale raising $4,000? Some people got nice stuff for a dollar or two, and some contributed $100 for a couple of dishes. You have to love that.”
Yard sale donations ranged from a quarter to $550, Parsons said. Sale items ranged from china to outboard motors to art work and many antiques. None of the items were priced; donations were voluntary.
Several antique vendors from the Old American Barn in Gordonsville and A&W Antiques in Keswick donated antiques and collectibles and brought tables and helped set up the event. Other items were donated — some anonymously — by various members of the Lake Monticello community.
“Many, many thanks to all the people who donated some real ‘treasures’ to help boost the sale,” said Parsons, adding that volunteers spent hours on their feet helping people find those treasures. “It’s a Community Foundation, and this was a real community effort.”
The Foundation is working to raise $100,000 for the all-inclusive playground, an expansion and improvement of the existing playground at Lafayette Park. The improvements will include an asphalt sidewalk around the playground, a new accessible surface and two additional pieces of ADA-compliant playground equipment. The goal is to make the playground accessible to children of all abilities, as well as to parents and grandparents with mobility issues, Parsons explained.
“I think the fundraising for the Lafayette playground is off to a smashing start,” Parsons said. The official launch of the fundraising campaign will be later this year, and work on the playground upgrade is to start next spring.
