County Park Board accepting donations of period items

Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 1:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

Marshall County Park and Recreation members were happy that their 2025 budget request passed the County Council’s second reading earlier this month.

During their meeting on September 12^th, Park Board President Greg Hildebrand said he attended in case there were questions about their requests.

The County Park Department’s proposed budget for next year is $28,000. Their request is $2,000 less than the approved 2024 budget. Included in the 2025 budget are $1,500 for supplies, $1,000 for signage, $3,000 for the West Township Cabin, $3,000 for the Trails at Mill Pond, and $3,000 for the Memorial Forest. Next year’s budget includes $10,000 for Yellow River projects such as a canoe/kayak launch.

The County Park Board also allocated $500 to professional services/education, $3,000 to contractual services, and another $3,000 for equipment, bringing the total to $28,000.

Park Board member Dick Markley presented a couple of artifacts that were donated by Cindy Schweisberger Rhoads when she donated the historic log cabin. The items included a period nail puller and tool used to trim horse hooves, a peg hole drill, a fruit juicer, and a single tree used to hitch one horse to a cart, buggy, or wagon.

The Marshall County Park Board is accepting donations of period items from the early 1800s to the early 1900s to display inside the historic trustee’s cabin. Anyone wishing to donate items should contact Greg Hildebrand, Deb VanDeMark, Dick Markey, Adam Thada, or Brian Main.