With fingers crossed, Pope Park fundraiser reaches its goal and more

An online fundraiser to help renovate Pope Park raised over $30,000. A matching grant from the state will kick in another $25,000. Expect to see work begin in the next several weeks.

An online fundraiser to help renovate Pope Park raised over $30,000. A matching grant from the state will kick in another $25,000. Expect to see work begin in the next several weeks.

 

 

By Charles Sercombe
It didn’t quite take a Hail Mary for the Pope Park fundraiser to meet its goal.
But it came close.
The Karol Wojtyla Hamtramck Committee was crossing its collective fingers over the weekend as the final hours ticked down on Monday’s deadline to collect at least $25,000 by midnight.
Over the weekend the fundraiser was still a few thousand dollars short of its goal.
As it turned out, the committee, through an online fundraiser, received more than it asked for, a whopping $31,307 from 307 donors.
That means the Michigan Economic Development Corporation will kick in an additional $25,000 as part of a matching grant.
“Lesson learned: All you have to do is ask and people tend to be very charitable,” said Tom Jankowski, the Chairman of the Committee.
“I’m very proud of the people who stepped up, even though it looked a little daunting,” he added.
Fellow committee member Andrea Karpinski said many of the donations came in tens and twenties, which represented a true cross section of the community and former residents.
“I believed the community would come together to reach the goal,” said Committee member Andrea Karpinski. “That’s the whole concept of the project.”
Kathy Angerer, the Director of Community & Economic Development, added:
“Hamtramck did it. So proud of our city, its residents and businesses and all of our friends who love Hamtramck. The Pope Park Patronicity Fundraiser was a huge success.”
“The City of Hamtramck is grateful for all the support and thanks the many residents, friends and businesses who gave so generously to support the renovation of Pope Park. This project is a perfect example of how a community and government can work together in partnership.”
With over $50,000 from this fundraiser, $20,000 from an earlier fundraising drive and $30,000 from a state development grant, the park will receive a major makeover in the coming months.
Plans call for removing the iron gating to open it up, replacing the paving and adding more greenery and improved lighting.
Money left over will go toward future maintenance of the park.
The park boasts one of the few monuments worldwide made to honor Pope John Paul II – the first Polish pope in history.
The Pope actually saw the monument during his historic visit to Hamtramck in 1987 when his motorcade sped down Jos. Campau (and we do mean sped!). A huge stage was built at the corner of Jos. Campau and Hewitt, which was an empty lot then, where he spoke to a rain-soaked gathering.
It was one of three public appearances the Pope participated in during his visit to the metro area. He spoke here in Hamtramck on the importance of keeping your ethnic heritage, a fitting theme for a city that has always attracted newly-arrived immigrants from around the world, especially Poles during the early 1900s.
Pope Park has become a destination spot for visitors.

 

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