Dupont, IN – The town of Dupont is about to be transformed by a new playground where children can play and their caretakers can gather to build community. Bethany Legacy Foundation will award a total of $350,000 for the playground in Dupont. The award includes a base grant of $250,000 and an additional $100,000 as a dollar-for-dollar community match award. This investment is in partnership with the Community Foundation of Madison and Jefferson County and the Women’s Giving Circle, a program at the Community Foundation, which will contribute a combined total of $35,000 to the project.

This grant award allows Bethany Legacy Foundation to fulfill core goals of improving long-term health in Jefferson County by encouraging physical activity and providing places for multigenerational interaction across the county. The project also aligns with one of the Women’s Giving Circle’s fields of interest, physical and mental health. The Community Foundation is excited to be part of this citizen-led effort, both as a funder and an advisor.

The Dupont Playground effort is led by a group of volunteers who have been actively fundraising. Those volunteers, along with the Community Foundation, Women’s Giving Circle, and Bethany Legacy Foundation, are asking the community to support the project to reach the $100,000 community match goal needed to cover the total cost of the project. According to Dawn Jines, President of the Dupont Community Playground/Park Committee, there are several ways to participate in this matching grant opportunity. Individuals and organizations can make a general donation to the project or purchase a brick for a sidewalk in the park. Bricks cost $75 each and can be engraved with an individual or family name or used as a memorial to a loved one.

Another opportunity to give is to participate in or sponsor the ATV, Jeep, and Motorcycle Benefit Ride on Saturday, June 17, 2023. Registration begins at the Dupont Firehouse at 11 a.m., with early registration available. Sponsors who contribute $100 in advance will have their name included on the event T-shirt.

Residents can also watch for additional opportunities to give and follow the progress of the park by joining the Dupont Community Playground/Park Facebook page.