LAHARPE — Plans are being finalized for a mammoth yard cleanup effort, followed by the installation of playground equipment at LaHarpe City Park.
Damaris Kunkler, program director at Thrive Allen County, spoke to LaHarpe City Council members Wednesday about the effort, slated to run Oct. 8-11.
A half-dozen University of Kansas students will be in town then to assist the LaHarpe PRIDE Committee, Kunkler explained. At least 10 Allen County 4-H youth, as part of a “48 Hours of Service” campaign, also will be on hand.
Organizers are searching for five yards in LaHarpe in dire need of cleanup.
PRIDE Committee members are looking over properties this week, and should have the five sites finalized — with the property owners’ blessing — at their Monday evening meeting.
Additional yards will be cleaned if time permits.
In addition to yard cleanup, the KU students then will assist with playground equipment installation at the park.
The equipment was purchased jointly, using reserve park funds from the city and $10,000 grants available from Thrive Allen County and the playground equipment vendor.
Other volunteers are welcome to join the effort. Those hoping to help are encouraged to attend Monday’s LaHarpe PRIDE meeting at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
Council members agreed to help financially, by spending up to $500 to feed the KU students while they’re in town. Iola City Council members agreed Monday to let the students camp out at Riverside Park while they’re in Allen County.
KUNKLER also told the Council about a happy ending for a LaHarpe resident living in a condemned house.
Thrive has been working with the resident for several months in order to find a new home before the house can be demolished.
“We have been working with her, trying to find her some quality housing, which we did!” Kunkler exclaimed.
The resident spent her first night in her new home Tuesday, Kunkler said.
“It was a tough process,” Kunkler said. “It’s hard to say goodbye to what you have, but to see how happy she was to find her new home was worth it. It’s been a happy ending for everybody.”
The process was a learning experience for everybody, Kunkler said.
She hopes to use that newfound knowledge to work with LaHarpe and other community leaders to assist others who also may be living in condemned houses.
For example, while much of the community has Internet access, the least affluent do not.
That means filling out paperwork for assistance can be even more time-consuming, Kunkler said.
“What we’d like to do is work with the Connectors, a countywide network of volunteers who keep track of available agencies and services for those in need.
The plan, Kunkler said, is to have a packet of information available to give to folks who need to find long-term housing immediately.
As an aside, the resident Thrive has worked with is in need of a washing machine and dryer, Kunkler said.
Anybody with those appliances available — for very low or no-cost — are encouraged to call Thrive at 365-8128.
