THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 18, 1995 TAG: 9505160116
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JOAN C. STANUS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
The 27 Realtors at William E. Wood and Associates on Little Creek Road are determined.
If they have to canvass every business in Norfolk, hold event after event, they're going to raise $10,000 for the Imagination Island community playground, planned for Northside Park.
``When we heard about it, we all felt it was so worthwhile,'' said Carol Parker, the agent who is organizing the realty company's efforts. ``We're part of the community, and we feel it's our obligation to help.''
Located about a mile from the planned playground, the realty company already has raised $1,000 for the project by ``selling'' bridge planks for $100 each and pickets of a playground fence for $25 each. The names of those contributing individuals or companies will be engraved on the planks and pickets.
Each agent has a goal of selling five planks or pickets, Parker said.
In addition, the company will sponsor a daylong fair, called a ``Spring Fling,'' on Saturday, with all proceeds going to the playground project.
Held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the fair will feature pony rides, a petting zoo, roving clowns, carnival rides, entertainment, raffles, games, square dancing and a smorgasbord of food vendors. Raffle tickets for a chance on winning a children's climbing apparatus will be sold.
The Great Merlini Brothers will present a magic show at 10 a.m. on the Northside stage.
The agents are most excited, however, about the flea market they'll hold during the day. Secondhand clothing, furniture, appliances and hundreds of other bargain household items will be available to purchase.
``We think we'll make a lot from that,'' said Parker, the mother of two elementary-age children.
They have high hopes the fair at the park will make significant strides in fund-raising efforts for the playground.
``It's such a terrific project,'' said Nancy Evans, managing broker for the company. ``We've never done anything like this before . . . but we wanted to get involved because we felt it was a nice thing to do.''
The project definitely can use the Realtors' help. In March, some $110,000 short of their $200,000 goal, Imagination Island organizers decided to postpone the building of the 160,000-square-foot playground for a year. Fund-raising for the project, the idea of Norfolk school kids, has been slow.
``It's so discouraging,'' said Diane Koffman, a Rosemont Middle School teacher who is one of the organizers, ``especially, when you see them building one over in Chesapeake. We should be able to get one together in Norfolk, too.''
Chesapeake volunteers built their version of a community playground, called Fun Forest and similar to Kid's Cove at Mount Trashmore in Virginia Beach, recently at Chesapeake City Park.
Unlike the wooden playgrounds in other cities, Imagination Island is designed with plastic-coated steel playground equipment that covers four play areas connected by dock-style bridges. The ideas for the playground were culled from suggestions submitted by Norfolk schoolchildren.
Those interested in making donations can call the project hotline at 853-5066. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by RICHARD L. DUNSTON
A ``Spring Fling'' is planned for Saturday to help raise money for
Imagination Island.
by CNB