Friends of Dublin Park to host family-friendly fundraising event Dec. 2

MADISON — The newly formed Friends of Dublin Park group has partnered with Madison’s Parks and Recreation Department to bring an afternoon of fun and games to the Dublin Park gym in hopes of raising money to replace one of the fountains at the park’s entrance.

The fundraising event will take place Dec. 2 from noon – 5 p.m.

Margi Daly, a founding member of FOD, said the event will be “family-friendly,” featuring a kids’ craft room with plenty of activities and crafts available for children to enjoy. Options include decorating stockings, making pinecone ornaments and working with wooden crafts.

“The Home Depot donated 60 crafts for kids—little wooden crafts for them to do,” Daly said.

From 1-3 p.m., Daly said Madison Fire Chief David Bailey will have a firetruck at the event for children to interact with.

A face painter will also be present at the event.

The fundraiser will also highlight local businesses with about 40 vendors ranging from local artists and craftsmen to small home businesses. There will be at least 40 door prizes up for grabs as well.

“The whole thing is 100 percent volunteers, and 100 percent of the donations go to fund the fountain,” Daly noted.

The Madison Parks and Recreation Department deemed the broken fountain “unfixable,” according to Daly, so one of FOD’s biggest areas of focus at the moment is raising money to replace it. The department estimated the new fountain would cost about $12,000, which Parks and Recreation Director Kory Alfred said was not in the budget. With FOD spearheading the effort, however, a new fountain could cost as low as $6,000-$8,000 since the group would not have to go through a bidding process.

“It’s important for the fish, and to cut down on the turtles because the turtles live in the muck, and if we don’t have a fountain, it’s nothing but muck out there,” Daly explained. “We have a lot of snapping turtles, but it’s good for the fish, the ducks, and also it’s aesthetically pleasing just to pull up to Dublin and see the fountain there. It’s right in the front.”

Daly and FOD have met with Alfred and Assistant Director Kelly Johnson to brainstorm and discuss ideas for improving Dublin Park, one of which includes this fundraising event for the fountain. Daly said the city’s event and volunteer coordinator, Gayle Milam, has also helped tremendously.

“She’s been really working hard with us,” Daly said.

T-shirts related to the cause will be available for purchase, as well as concessions including coffee and hot chocolate.

For those who cannot make it to the event but still wish to donate to the cause, FOD has opened a donation account through Redstone Federal Credit Union called “Fund the Fountain.” Those interested may donate in person or at an ATM with account #51015260835.

To join FOD and stay updated on their causes, request to join the group’s Facebook page: “Friends of Dublin Park (FOD).”

Dublin Park is located at 8324 Madison Pike in Madison.