You have heard us say it before, but Wayne County is full of some amazing people who genuinely care about their neighbors. It is one of the things that makes this community so great and contributes to the success of others. There are so many stories we could tell about the people of Wayne County, so we have decided on one to feature in this blog.
As Forward Wayne County continues to focus on Our People, we are going to introduce you to Caring for Creitz, a park improvement project initiated by a group of passionate citizens.
A Longtime Resident
Stacey Bertsch is a longtime resident of Cambridge City. She raised her now adult children in the community and is an elementary school teacher at Western Wayne Schools. Being in a small town for so long allows you to see changes, some good, some bad, throughout the years.
One of those changes Bertsch noticed was with Creitz Park and its decline from year to year.
“As a parent of grown children and a current teacher of young children, I have the perspective over time of seeing the park playground become less appealing since my children were small and now seeing what the needs are of our current families in the community.”
It was seeing the age and wear of the playground equipment that led her to become involved in Caring for Creitz.
Caring for Creitz
Caring for Creitz came about from a need to improve the park’s equipment and the potential of $50,000 from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority’s CreatINg Places program, as well as some public investment from the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program (HELP). The goal of the project is to help make the playground more accessible for families of all ages and abilities.
Plans for the project include a paved pathway, safer play space, and accessible playground equipment everyone can use. Throughout its years of service, the park has become a staple for people in the community. It is a place to play and gather.
Getting Involved
A group of dedicated community members is spearheading the Caring for Creitz implementation. They have worked for the past year to plan the playground updates, to get buy-in, to gather support, and to research the needs. The project committee is made up of:
- Stacey Bertsch
- Sherry Ervin
- Debbie McGinley
- Brenda and Jim Mclane
Stacey became involved with the project after attending a town council meeting where she noticed the benefits the playground updates would have for Creitz Park and Cambridge City. She has played a significant role in planning and fundraising for Caring for Creitz.
Stacey hopes the updates to Creitz Park will give Cambridge City residents a space to utilize, enjoy, and take pride in.
“I want young families, community groups, visiting families using the ball field, school classes, and our community as a whole to be proud of, utilize, and enjoy the park.”
Photo Credit: Caring for Creitz
Future Plans
The playground update is only the beginning for Creitz Park. There are additional plans to build a performance venue adjacent, which will help bring more concerts to Cambridge City. Along with that project, the committee would like to continue adding more playground equipment
“After this phase of playground improvements, we would like to continue to add equipment and other features to encourage the use of the playground area for all ages.”
A Note About Passion
Communities need people to create positive changes. It is something that requires passion and dedication to helping others and a commitment to making someplace better. If one thing holds true about people, there will always be someone who will step in to initiate those impacts.
When it comes down to it, this defines Caring for Creitz. It is a group of private citizens volunteering their time to better the community. They were willing to take that extra step and make changes where change is needed. Stacey had this advice to offer up.
“Taking a step to get involved and telling others about your community is a great way to make positive change. It doesn’t have to be a big commitment to make a difference when more people are working together to make it happen.”
Feeling inspired? Wayne County is home to numerous stories like Creitz Park. It is people working to help others in a way that generates benefits for everyone.
Caring for Creitz is in the final days of its fundraising campaign. If you are interested in giving, visit the project’s Patronicity page here.
