Doolittle organizers receive $13,000

Eka Chemicals donates funding

MOSES LAKE - As the construction date approaches for Gen. James H. Doolittle Park in Moses Lake, organizers continue to gather volunteers and donations.

Eka Chemicals Inc. in Moses Lake announced Thursday it is donating $13,000 to the park, said organizer Tara Childs.

"It was like a Valentine's Day present," Childs said.

The donation gives organizers the ability to order needed supplies from companies, she said.

She estimated $45,000 is still needed to build the park. Construction dates are March 26 to March 30.

Gen. James H. Doolittle Park offers fun for all ages, from swings for babies to a climbing wall for older children, Childs said. The park benefits children countywide, she said.

"It's going to benefit all age levels of kids, no matter where they live," she said.

More than 100 volunteers signed up to help build the park, Childs said. She estimated 1,000 volunteers are going to be needed for the entire project.

In two weeks, organizers are going to start calling businesses to seek commitments from volunteer groups, she said.

Volunteers are also needed to make meals for those constructing the park. Church groups committed to make five meals, and commitments for five more meals are needed, Childs said.

Several monetary donations came in for the park in the past two weeks. On Monday, Japan Airlines announced a $1,000 donation to the park, Childs said. Washington Trust Bank donated $800 and J.R. Simplot Company donated $500 last week.

"Those were pretty exciting to have some businesses step up," she said.

During the weekend, Wal-Mart customers donated $600 for the park's construction. On Feb. 2 and Feb. 3, Safeway customers donated $700 in cash for the park, as part of a Chief Moses Middle School fund-raiser.

Organizers are selling

personalized fence pickets for $35 each until Feb. 28. Elementary schools in Moses Lake held fund-raisers to buy pickets, and students in the Ephrata School District raised money to purchase pickets as well.

Approximately 200 pickets have been sold, Childs said.

"We need to sell about 800 more pickets," she said.

Order forms are available at the Columbia Basin Herald, at the Subway on Stratford Road in Moses Lake, and at the park's Web site, http://doolittledreampark.googlepages.com/.

Donations can be mailed to Columbia Basin Foundation, 234 First Ave. N.W., Suite B, Ephrata, WA, 98823.

To volunteer, call Sherri at 509-764-2004, or Kathy at 509-754-1453.