Cloverdale Civic group growing

Friday, September 29, 2006

While it has only existed since Aug. 26, the Cloverdale Civic League has already made great strides.

On Thursday, president and founder Angela Ladd told the BannerGraphic the CCL -- a not-for-profit women's organization -- has already started setting up fundraisers to help the town.

"We've had a huge positive response already," Ladd said. "This is for the beautification and clean-up of the town. We want to make Cloverdale something positive on the map."

Ladd previously lived in Greencastle before recently relocating to Cloverdale. She was and still is a member of the Greencastle Civic League, but was surprised to learn there was no such organization in Cloverdale when she moved there.

So she perused her neighborhood looking for people interested in starting up the organization, which has now grown to 13 members. In addition, it will add five more at its October meeting.

"We are growing," Ladd said. "Right now, we're just hoping to get the word out."

She said the group meets on the first Thursday of each month at the Grace Lutheran Church on SR 42.

Since starting up, the organization has been quite busy.

The organization will conduct its first event Oct. 7.

The organization's Community Bazaar will take place from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Cloverdale Community Building. The CCL is inviting homemade craft items, direct sales companies or community organizations to participate.

Ladd said the organization is also looking to adopt a town flower, which it hopes to plant on Main Street, in addition to providing welcoming signs on both ends of Cloverdale with perennials, and new trash receptacles.

Ladd approached the Cloverdale Town Council in early September hoping to receive permission for a fundraiser for the Cloverdale Community Park, what she called the organization's "biggest project."

The council told Ladd at its September meeting that as long as the Park Board was OK with the organization's plans, it was as well.

Ladd said she has been in touch with Park Board President Ron Jones about CCL's plans to update the park.

The plans include adding a tire swing, a 40-by-50 playground structure to include swings, new park benches, a 30-space parking lot, a paved walking path, two youth soccer fields, benches, bleachers, trash cans, a drinking fountain, a concession stand, welcome signs and handicapped parking.

Ladd said the league set a fundraising goal of $70,000 to achieve the renovations, a figure she believes can be met.

The first fundraising event for the park is a single elimination kickball tournament, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Robe-Ann Park Ball Diamond. The event is set to start at 9 a.m.

"Everybody can play kickball," Ladd said.

Cost to enter a 10-player team in the kickball tourney is $200 or $20 per person. The entry deadline for the tournament is Oct. 13. To enter a team or to make a contribution to the project, call Ladd at (765) 795-8040 or e-mail kaladd@ccrtc.com.

Ladd said ground breaking for the renovations is set for May 2008, giving the organization 18 months to fulfill its goal. She added that a steering committee meeting for the park project has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2.

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