Cumberland County Improvement Authority

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 23, 2008

NEW PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT COMING TO DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP SCHOOL

DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP, NJ Deerfield Township Mayor Carol Musso and Cumberland County Improvement Authority Executive Director Steven R. Wymbs presented a check to the Deerfield Township School and its Parent/Teacher Organization for a combined figure of almost $50,000 on Wednesday as part of the Improvement Authority’s Municipal Matching Grant and Environmental Enhancement Grant programs. The combined Grant will be used to purchase and install much needed new playground equipment made from recycled materials for the Deerfield Township School and Deerfield residents.

“The Environmental Enhancement Grant Program has positively impacted the environment and recreational opportunities throughout Cumberland County,” Wymbs said. “The Improvement Authority Board, administration, and staff has worked extremely hard to help individual organizations bring their creative concepts to fruition; concepts which engage the local community in a dialogue about environmental education, preservation, and new recreational opportunities. The program has also become a model for counties throughout New Jersey to follow, and demonstrates our ongoing efforts to establish successful partnerships for the betterment of the entire community.”

The Environmental Enhancement Grant Program has benefited communities throughout Cumberland County. Educational programs promoting the concepts and benefits of stewardship and sustainability; enhanced recreational areas including new locations for fishing, hiking, and other outdoor activities; new playground equipment, bleachers, benches, and tables constructed with recycled materials; and the restoration of Lake Audrey to healthy Ph levels for public fishing access are just a few of the benefits the community has realized.

“The Cumberland County Improvement Authority has been a wonderful partner in recent years and has done a great deal for Deerfield Township,” said Mayor Carol Musso. “The playground equipment currently at the school is old and desperately needs to be replaced. These Grants are being used to purchase a variety of items including slides, monkey bars, and seesaws. We hope to have it installed by August, so it will be a nice welcome for the children coming back to school.”

“The playground equipment has been a concern of mine since I became a member of the PTO,” said PTO Past President Jill Travis.

“We pursued several avenues to try and get new playground equipment, but none were successful. Then we found the Improvement Authority’s Enhancement Grant Program in our own backyard, and now we are able to fulfill a dream. I thank Mayor Musso for her help and support through the process. A special thank you goes to Improvement Authority Executive Director Steve Wymbs and the entire Improvement Authority Board for providing opportunities through the Enhancement Grant Program which benefit so many county residents.”

“This is great news for the Township,” said Deerfield Township School Board member Heath Allen. “We worked closely with Jill Travis from the Deerfield Township PTO on the application. Township Mayor Carol Musso and Improvement Authority Executive Director Steve Wymbs were great to work with and provided the help and guidance we needed throughout the application process. The current equipment is close to 25 years old. Now the students will have a nice area to play in and to learn interpersonal skills. I also hope gym teachers will incorporate the equipment into their classes to help fight the problem of child obesity.”

“Preserving and enhancing the environment for future generations through the Environmental Enhancement Grant Program has been an evolving, collaborative effort between the Improvement Authority and the community,” said Albert B. Kelly, Improvement Authority Board Chairman. “Over the past six years, through this program alone, grant funds, matching funds, and volunteer efforts have put more than three million dollars towards eco-friendly, community-based projects. Groups from 13 of the county’s 14 municipalities have applied for and received grants through this program. It is another example of the Improvement Authority’s forward thinking approach to creating successful partnerships and solving problems.”

“We strongly encourage municipalities, non-profit groups, and organizations throughout the county to apply for the next round of Enhancement Grants which will be awarded early in 2009,” Wymbs said. “Projects eligible to receive funding include, but are not limited to, anti-litter campaigns, recycling programs, solid waste management, air or water quality enhancement, watershed preservation, soil management, and recreational enhancements. If you are unsure whether your project will qualify, give us a call to schedule a pre-application meeting to review your ideas with our Improvement Authority staff who can then point you in the right direction.”

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For more information about this press release, please call Steven R. Wymbs at 856-825-3700.