Kiwanis Club announces more donations to Hodag Park project

Arguably, the purest melody that exists in this world is the symphony of unfettered joy that erupts when young children are at play.

Bill Vancos loves that sound.

Larry and Nancy Frasier, pictured with Kiwanis member Brandon Karaba, have donated $10,000 to the Hodag Park project. A bench will be placed near the splash pad in memory of their daughter, Amy. (Submitted photo)

He likes to sit on the porch of the historical museum on Pelham Street (he serves as president of the Rhinelander Historical Society), which he noted is a perfect vantage point to hear the laughter of the young students on the Nativity Catholic playground at recess time. 

Soon, thanks to Vancos, that beautiful sound will ring out from the shores of Boom Lake while children enjoy a new splash pad and playground at Hodag Park.

The Rhinelander Kiwanis Club is spearheading the splash pad/playground project and club member Brandon Karaba is serving as the point man. 

Vancos’s donation of $150,000 is absolutely crucial in ensuring the splash pad part of the project can be completed, he noted.

“We can’t thank Bill enough,” Karaba said. “This is something the community has wanted for many years.”

“The world is getting too serious these days and children have to grow up too fast,” Vancos noted, adding that listening to the children on the Nativity playground never fails to boost his mood. “It’s just cool that these children can be children and so what I envision is the splash pad with all of this laughing and giggling going on. and so that's what (inspired the donation), I wanted to do something for young children.”

In a recent interview with the River News, Vancos explained that when he approached Karaba about contributing to the splash pad project he hoped it could be located adjacent to the current beach area and near the historic beach house building. He also hoped that water from Boom Lake could be used in the splash pad and recirculated into the lake.

While he was quickly advised that none of those things would be possible — the DNR rejected the water circulation idea — he was able to suggest one idea that was accepted. The creature that will spurt water onto the splash pad will be a Hodag. The splash pad will also be named after the Vancos family.

A proponent of the three Ts — time, talent and treasure — Vancos stressed that his other goal is to encourage others to find their niche and give back to the community in whatever way they can. Rhinelander has been fortunate over the years that so many residents have been willing to volunteer their time or use their particular talents for the greater good and those who have the means have been generous in sharing their treasure with others, he noted.

Larry and Nancy Frasier certainly fit that bill. The Kiwanis Club recently announced that the couple has donated $10,000 to the project, which will include a bench in memory of their daughter, Amy.

“Our daughter Amy loved taking her kids to the splash pads in Minneapolis,” the Frasiers said in a statement announcing their contribution. “When we heard about the new splash pad coming to Rhinelander, we knew we had to honor her by purchasing a bench in her memory. Breast cancer took her from us in 2018, but this bench will bring us so much joy, knowing families will sit on it and enjoy the splash pad at Hodag Park just as Amy did with her kids. What a wonderful asset this will be for our community.”

The Kiwanis Club presented plans to add the splash pad and a new 13,000 square foot multi-use playground to the City of Rhinelander last April and fundraising has been ongoing ever since. The Hodag 10s Club recently donated just over $65,000 to the campaign, according to the Kiwanis Facebook page.

For more information on how to contribute, visit the Facebook page or contact Karaba at 715-218-8139 or [email protected]. 

Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected]