Indian Lake outreach center back-to-school picnics set for Friday, Saturday
The kindness of the community came full circle Monday, Aug. 5, at the Chippewa Outreach Center, when generous donations from a kayak event earlier this summer and several benevolent businesses came together to grant the wish of area youths at the center.
A gaga ball pit was installed at the 13976 Ironwood Ave., Chippewa, location, much to the delight of the youngsters who enjoy spending their summertime and after school days at the center.
Chippewa Outreach Center Director Drew Shick said the children and teens had requested this new recreational opportunity, as it’s a popular game that the kids play at school and at local camps.
After several weeks of preparation, the gaga ball pit was completed around noon Monday, and was in constant use all that afternoon on the warm and humid day.
“They’ll be in here year-round,” said Shick, who also leads the Russells Point Outreach Center. “We’ll be shoveling snow out of here in the winter so that they can play. That’s how it was when we first got our basketball court here.
“We’re really grateful for all of the donors who came together to make this possible.”
“It’s so wonderful being here today to see the kids’ joy and enthusiasm and them having fun together,” said Kevin Campbell, organizer of the Indian Lake Kayak event, who also took a hands-on approach to playing the fast-paced gaga ball, along with Shick.
This year, the Indian Lake Kayak event, a fundraiser specifically for the outreach center, raised a total of $7,000. Since the event’s inception four years ago, it’s raised a grand total of about $13,000, Campbell said.
For this year’s fundraiser July 5, more than 100 kayaks participated in the donation-based event, which also incorporates T-shirt sales and raffles.
Campbell, a photographer who owns Indian Lake Aerials by Kevin Campbell, said several years ago, he was looking for a local youth-based organization to support. Indian Lake Schools Superintendent Dr. Rob Underwood mentioned that the Chippewa Outreach Center would be a great organization to consider.
The local photographer has hosted the event ever since, always on the Friday prior to the Indian Lake Light Up the Lake Spectacular fireworks, with kayaks launching into Indian Lake at Moundwood, he said.
While Shick knew that a gaga ball pit would be in high demand from the youths at the center, he also realized that this area behind the Ironwood Avenue facility is prone to flooding.
“For this reason, we were in need of a concrete pad to have pit placed on. I initially thought this would use up all the donation money,” the center director said.
“But the cool and exciting part is that many people and businesses are pitching in and donating materials and their time to lower the cost and allow us to use the funds for other outreach programs.”
To stretch the donated dollars further, Scott Duff from Duff Quarry provided the concrete for the ball pit, and Lamb-Coate Contracting donated their time for the installation of the concrete pad.
Shick also noted that there was a sizable donation to the kayak event from the Jimmy Moore Indian Lake Community Fund.
The outreach centers are funded through Logan County Children’s Services and offer opportunities for youths year-round, also including at the Western Outreach Center, 520 Garfield Ave., Bellefontaine.
This week, the outreach centers at Indian Lake are preparing for their annual back-to-school picnics, with grant funding providing for visits from Columbus Zoo & Aquarium animals at both events:
The Russells Point picnic takes place at Galilee Lutheran Church, 301 Lincoln Blvd., Friday, Aug. 9, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The picnic for the Chippewa Center is slated for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at the Indian Lake Church of the Nazarene, 13699 State Route 235, Lakeview.
The events include giveaways of book bags and school supplies, as well as hot dogs, snow cones, popcorn, raffles, games and face painting. Shick has a particular highlight from the event each year as well.
“How could I forget the joy the kids and families get by dunking me in the dunk tank?” he asked.
Also during the summertime, participants can earn points for completing reading and math activities at the centers. Recently, youths who earned enough reading points could pick their choice of a trip to one of the following: a trampoline park, the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium or horseback riding at a Marmon Valley Farm, the director said.
For more information on the outreach centers, visit https://co.logan.oh.us/590/Neighborhood-Outreach-Centers.
