The KaBOOM! National Campaign for Play recently announced New Lenox as one of the 31 founding members of the Playful City USA initiative. The certification process to receive this designation was started and successfully completed by the New Lenox Community Park District. With this designation, comes a possible financial gain for the park development of our community. In fact, they are to be the only founding Playful City USA in the state of Illinois.

By receiving the Playful City USA award, the New Lenox Community Park District can apply to receive grant dollars ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. These dollars will only be awarded to those communities with the Playful City USA designation. In addition, the Park District will provide a plan of action for a specific project wherein these funds would be utilized as well as a three-minute video presentation showing creatively that New Lenox is indeed a ”Playful City”. Judges will weigh their decision to award grant monies partly on the number of votes received.

THEY NEED YOUR HELP! Beginning November 30, 2007 and ending December 21, 2007, they are asking for our partners in the parks and recreation community to take a few moments to vote on-line for the New Lenox video submission. The voting only takes a few minutes and could mean ongoing grant dollars to improve and increase play areas in New Lenox. Please vote for our video submission by logging on to the park district website at www.newlenoxparks.org or go straight to the voting site. Voters will need to register an email address; and to activate their account, but rest assured it will only be used to monitor voting not for you to receive unsolicited emails.

Currently, New Lenox is in 3rd Place so help vote them to victory!