GRAND RAPIDS, MI (July 15, 2016) Lake Michigan Credit Union (LMCU) is proud to announce a fundraising initiative aimed at providing a new children"s playground at the Holland State Park beach.
Holland resident, retired preschool teacher and grandmother, Sally Starr, long saw the need for more playground equipment at Holland State Park. She knew that Lake Michigan Credit Union, partnering with their spokesperson Carter Oosterhouse, had sponsored and funded a new playground for Grand Haven State Park in November of 2013. Starr thought there might be an opportunity to do the same for Holland State Park and approached LMCU in the spring of 2016, hoping to rally support for the project. She was not disappointed.
Starr said, "As a Holland resident, retired preschool teacher and more importantly, a grandmother, I have enjoyed the splendor and fun of the sandy beaches at Holland State Park for many seasons. My grandkids love trips to the beach to swing on the existing swing-set. One day while at the park with my grandkids, I realized the need for more play equipment for children. With nearly two-million visitors each year, the existing equipment was simply insufficient for the number of visitors."
LMCU listened and acted, contributing $35,000 toward the project"s $65,000 total cost, with the remainder to be funded by other charitable contributions. The partnership quickly grew to include the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Lakeshore Advantage, Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). Michigan-based Patronicity was tapped as the crowdfunding platform.
If the campaign raises $17,000 by August 8, 2016, matching funds will be granted through MEDC"s Public Spaces Community Places program. All donations are tax-deductible.
For project details and donation information, please visit
here.
Funding for the playground will be funneled through Oosterhouse"s nonprofit charity, Carter"s Kids, which will purchase and deliver the equipment. Actual installation will be performed by a team of LMCU staff volunteers. Installation is tentatively scheduled for early August with an official grand opening ceremony planned for the end of the month.
"Holland State Park is an incredible community asset that attracts visitors from all over the world," said Jennifer Owens, president of Lakeshore Advantage. "The investment by the MEDC and community in this playground will ensure the thousands of kids who visit the park on a daily basis can truly enjoy this shining example of Pure Michigan beauty."
LMCU"s Assistant Vice President of Community Relations Matt Cook said, "Lake Michigan Credit Union is very excited to spearhead this effort. When we initially met Sally in Holland, we knew that even as a single citizen, she was committed to making this project happen. And we immediately knew we needed to be a part of it. It has been a delight to see the community and state come together to join forces on this project. I can"t wait to see the beach with the playground installed at the end of the summer and celebrate the collaboration that helped make it happen."
About Lake Michigan Credit Union
Founded in 1933, Lake Michigan Credit Union is the largest credit union in Michigan. With a staff of over 1,000, LMCU"s assets exceed $4 billion, with a mortgage serviced portfolio of over $8 billion. LMCU now has over 352,000 members and 39 convenient branch locations, including Traverse City, Fruitport Township, Farmington Hills, Troy and Bonita Springs, FL. New branch locations will shortly be opened in Livonia, MI and Naples, FL. LMCU operates nearly 100 ATMs in west Michigan and Kalamazoo, with access to over 55,000 ATMs worldwide as part of the AllPoint network.� Dedicated mortgage offices are located in Saginaw, Livonia, Grand Blanc and Bonita Springs, FL.� LMCU provides a full-range of financial services, from high interest-bearing checking accounts to mortgages, commercial loans, insurance and investment services. To find out more, please visit
www.lmcu.org.
