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Members of the Casey In Action Playground Action Committee are pictured at their booth during the Casey National Road Festival. Photo by Marcy Shonk
State agency to make CIA video  Share
The Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs plans to video Casey In Action's July 16 meeting. The agency has followed CIA's work through the recently completed master's program of Traci Heffelbower, community project coordinator for Casey. IIRA is an agency aimed at improving the quality of life for rural residents by partnering with public and private agencies on local development and enhancement efforts. It serves as a clearinghouse for information on rural issues, coordinates rural research, and works with state agencies on issues of importance to rural communities. Heffelbower told those attending the June 18 meeting of the CIA that she has been interviewed and that representatives of the agency will come to the July 16 meeting to video project progress and plans. An article is also being written. Meanwhile, CIA Action Teams continue to work on projects throughout the community. The playground team, CIA-PAC, reported on fundraising activities, including ''Pictures in the Park.'' PAC will team up with Memories of this Moment Photography to offer a $20 family photo package to be taken in Fairview Park on Friday and Saturday, July 10 and 11. To make a reservation please call April Hagen at 932-5220.
PAC's main focus is to make the park playground universally accessible. Team member Laura Robey said the city has appropriated funds for cored rubberized surfacing, instead of mulch, which should make the approach to equipment more accessible. Now, they await CIA's nonprofit status to seek grants for further funding. Other fundraising efforts include t-shirts for $12, and purple and gold golf umbrellas for $20. They are planning to work with the skate park committee toward a goal of overall park improvement, which may result in a family festival in the park built around a barbecue cook-off. Diego Herrera of Reflections Restaurant has offered to feature the winning recipe on his menu. The Downtown Cleanup Action Team is nearly finished with its first large-scale project, the Casey Senior Center facelift. Danelle Ledley, project leader, will set a final workday to cover north and rear windows and work on third floor cleanup. Meanwhile, Casey Township, which owns the building, has decided to pay for all supplies. Additionally, the township plans to install a canopy on the front of the building. A mural design is still under consideration. The mural will be painted on the north side of the building. Noel Cummins, local artist, has volunteered to assist with the project. Everyone is invited and encouraged to submit their ideas and/or sketches in one of the following methods: 1. By email to: caseyinaction@gmail.com (word document, jpeg or pdf format, please) 2. Drop off at: Collector's Office in City Hall, 108 E Main St. to be delivered to Traci Heffelbower; 3. Mail to: City of Casey, c/w Traci Heffelbower, PO Box 425, Casey, IL 62420 or to Casey In Action, PO Box 163, Casey, IL 62420; or 4. Bring to the CIA meetings held at 6 p.m. every other Thursday at the Senior Center. The next downtown cleanup project is now being considered for the Reflections Restaurant and old Casey National Bank building, owned by Diego Herrera. Guidelines for working on privately owned property will be discussed. The team heard a report that the welcome sign could not be placed on the southwest corner of Rtes. 40 and 49, as the landowner declined. Alternate sites are now being considered. And, the team discussed replacement of downtown trees. It was reported by Dave Coleman that the city is working on a streetscape grant that would provide for tree replacement. It was also reported that 16 benches for downtown have been donated and placed. More flowerpots will be ordered. A request by Karen Huddleston, of the new family medical center, for assistance with landscaping, was referred to the citywide cleanup group. The citywide group discussed appliance recycling and plans to schedule a couple pickup days for Casey residents. The recent City of Casey cleanup was a huge success with 30 dumpster loads collected at a cost of $11,400. CIA expressed its appreciation to the city and council for making this effort possible. The animal shelter group is now on www.petfinder.com with adoptable and adopted dogs. The group is working hard to place stray animals into permanent or foster homes. A fundraiser cookout was planned for June 27 at Dollar General, where pet food and monetary donations would also be collected. The group has already started distributing pet food for families in need of assistance. They are selling pet markers as a fundraiser. There are four designs available. Flyers have been posted around town. It was reported that two dogs died from uncertain causes at the city pound. Other dogs were checked by a veterinarian for canine parvovirus and pens were sanitized as a precaution. The group met with the Casey City Council ordinance committee on June 24 to discuss an exemption to the three-pet limit so that pet owners can also provide foster care for strays and waivers to allow group members to work with the dogs housed at the pound. Although no decisions were made, according to Belinda Nickles, the city attorney indicated the pet ordinances needed to be completely revamped. CAS members offered to help the city meet the expense of keeping the dogs at the pound longer than the seven-day limit with monetary and food donations from the pet food pantry. Nickles also gave the committee a recommendation from a veterinarian for allowing pet owners to keep puppies and kittens longer than a three-month period suggested at a recent council meeting. The Skate Park Committee is working to weed and power wash the tennis court cracks so they can be filled and the equipment can be installed. CIA is currently selling raffle tickets for a quarter Angus beef. Tickets are $5 each, or three for $10. The drawing will be held July 4. The board continues to work with Attorney Cara Honselman, working pro bono, for 5013C non-profit status. CIA teams were active participants in the recent National Road Festival. The organization meets next at 6 p.m. July 2 at the Senior Center. Marcy Shonk is a staff reporter for the Casey Reporter.
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