Cars, Guitars assists access to playground

A new playground was dedicated Monday after completion of its first phase, but more handicap-accessible additions for it are in the works.

Members of the Seymour Parks Board, Mayor Craig Luedeman and Cars and Guitars committee members held a ribbon cutting ceremony at Shields Park at the handicapped-accessible playground built to benefit physically challenged children in Seymour.

"The kids are having a ball on the playground equipment," Diana King, president of Cars and Guitars said.

"To be able to see that we have done something for this community and that they appreciate it has been one of the greatest things for me," King added.

Coming together as a community project, the funds for the playground were donated to the city by the Cars and Guitars Committee from profits of its annual car show and concert.

During United Way Day of Caring in May, Jackson Masonic Lodge 146 members spent the day erecting the structure.

Although the equipment is up and the mulch has been added, the project is yet to be completed.

"More than $40,000 has been invested in the project with more additions to be made in the upcoming years," King said. "We still have (a need of) $30,000 for what we need to finish the project."

Future plans for the playground include a ramp from the sidewalk to the playground as well as park benches.

"We are going to put in physically challenged swings and we may end up adding more equipment to make it bigger," King said. "We would really like to have the different kind of matting to go underneath it so wheelchairs will go over it easier."

In an attempt to continue raising money for the cause, Cars and Guitars will hold its annual car show and concert June 27 in the streets of downtown Seymour. Registration opens at 2 p.m. in front of the Jackson County Public Library on West Second Street. The registration fee is $15 with checks payable to Cars and Guitars.

Musical entertainment will be provided by Terry Lee and the Rockaboogie Band from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Rain location for the concert will be at the Seymour High School gym.

New to this year's show will be a silent auction.

"Anyone can come and bid on silent auction items," King said. "We even have Brickyard tickets to give away."

She said $12,000 in door prizes have already been donated to this year's car show.

"The community has really got behind the project," King said. "For us to be able to give that much away ... is phenomenal. We are blessed. I can't say enough about all the businesses in town and all the people that are caring about this project."

Besides the many door prizes to be given away, King said Bob Poynter donated an $1,800 engine to give away and Jackson County Bank is sponsoring the stage and band.

"We couldn't do any of this without them and the support of the city and the park board and The Tribune," she said. "It's truly a community involvement."