LEO’s Haven Fundraising Update

By Tricia Potts

Finley and Cleo’s Cookie Stand

Since the official June 2016 launch of the capital campaign, numerous local residents, businesses and nonprofits have contributed time, resources and money toward establishing the County’s first all-inclusive playground. Local children have even pitched in by selling donated Newman’s Own Organics cookies at various locations, with the goal of raising $1,000 themselves.

Finley and Cleo Roberts and their friends have been out busily selling cookies to neighbors at the Hook, Pleasure Point, and Chanticleer Park locations. A month ago, these children approached the County Parks Department for a permit to hold a cookie fundraiser.

After they obtained the necessary permit, they approached Peter Meehan of Newman’s Own Organics with a business plan. Mr. Meehan generously donated cookies for the cookie campaign.

As of mid-August, Finley and Cleo are only a few hundred dollars away from their goal of raising $1,000 for the playground. They’ve been pretty successful so far, raising about $800. Not too shabby. You can get the latest updates on their flash sales by following the Chanticleer Park Neighbors/Vecinos Facebook Page.

Wee Saw
Sponsored by Doug And Diane Deaver!

The Santa Cruz Playground Project announced a sizeable donation from Doug and Diane Deaver of Aptos, Calif. toward to the creation of LEO’s Haven at Chanticleer Park, an inclusive playground designed to meet the needs of local children of all abilities.

The Deaver family donated $10,775 to sponsor the “Wee-Saw” after seeing a news coverage about efforts to build the project. Designs for the $1.9 million park are available at www.santacruzplaygroundproject.org

Diane Deaver (Winner of the 2016 Times Publishing Group Poetry Contest) wrote a poem to commemorate the playground and the donation:

Leo’s Haven

There’s going to be a playground
We heard the other day
Where kids with disabilities
Can enter in the play.

An all-inclusive playground
To bring fun and to bring joy
To bring happiness with safety
To each special girl and boy.

Where all can be included
And where all can join the fun
Where all can play together
For it welcomes everyone.

— Diane Deaver, July 2016

The Wee Saw is a see saw that can accommodate at least four children at a time. This will allow for cooperative and group play. The seat backs will support children with balance and muscle-strength issues so they can play safely with their friends.