WHEELCHAIR SWING BEING ADDED TO MILLBROOK PARK

Over the years I have had the opportunity to watch many ballgames at Millbrook Park.  One of the things I have noticed in recent years when I go to the ballpark is that children who come there to watch their brothers or sisters play, if they are in a wheelchair, have virtually nothing to do while their siblings are playing ball.

This really isn't anyone's fault, its just that a lot of recreational equipment for disabled individuals wasn't available until recent years.  Thanks now to various laws evolving from the Americans with Disabilities Act more and more recreational equipment has been on the market for community parks across the country.

As a member of the New Boston Kiwanis, I was able to find out that grant money was available through the Ohio Kiwanis Foundation for various equipment for children.  I talked with Mike Bell, who is the president of the local Autism Project of Southern Ohio, and we approached the foundation about the possibility of writing a grant for a wheelchair swing.  Thanks to the foundation, as well as Ralph Nolfi and Richard Grimm from Portsmouth Kiwanis, we were able to put together a grant application that was approved.

My special thanks goes out to the New Boston Service Department because they are installing the swing next to the other swings at Millbrook Park. 

The swing is scheduled for a dedication at the annual Autism Walk which will be held on April 20 at the Millbrook Park.  We are asking that the local New Boston Kiwanis Club as well as people from the Ohio Kiwanis Foundation to be there along with members of the Autism Project of Southern Ohio and the New Boston community.

Again my personal thanks to the Ohio Kiwanis Foundation for their generosity in this very worthwhile project.

Mike Payton
4-14-2013

STANTON SCHOOL PURCHASED BY CHURCH GROUP

Stanton Elementary School has been purchased by the Rubyville Community Church and will become the new site of the worldwide Christian ministry of Evangelistic Outreach.

The Stanton school building was built in 1913 and demolition was completed recently.  The property went out to bid on April 1, and there were two bidders vying for purchase.  The bidding started at $20,000 and Rubyville Community Church won the auction with a bid of $45,000.

Evangelistic Outreach will move their operations from Ironton to New Boston.  Calvin Ray Evans, the director of Evangelistic Outreach, says the plans to build the new structure were being completed and the ministry had been looking for a location to expand for some time.

Evangelistic Outreach was founded 56 years ago as a radio ministry by Evans's father, Dr. Calvin Evans.  In the past six decades it has expanded from being on a local radio station to reaching people around the world through television, literary ministry, missionary ministry and the internet.

I am very happy to welcome the Evangelistic Outreach ministry to our community.  This will insure that the property that once housed the Stanton school will not sit vacant for long and the surrounding neighborhood will continue to have a visible and active entity operating in that area for years to come.

Mike Payton
4-14-2013