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Published: 6/20/2012 | Updated: 5/18/2013
By DEBORAH GERTZ HUSAR
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
NEBO, Ill. -- Nebo is serving up a tasty way to help honor veterans and provide more for young people in the community. Proceeds from the second annual Cajun Cookout, slated for Saturday and featuring fresh Louisiana seafood, will go toward improvements at Veterans Park. "In order to do something a little different, rather than hamburgers, fried chicken or fish, we decided to do this Cajun Day," Nebo Mayor Kenny Hubbard said. "We did this last year for the first time, and it went over real well. If this one goes over like I expect it to, we will do a different version in late fall when the hunters are all here." The fundraiser will bring the community closer to meeting its share of funding to improve the park by adding a veterans memorial and a playground. Sandy Trusewych, director of community development with Two Rivers Regional Council of Public Officials, has worked with Nebo on funding the project. "We started from square one," Trusewych said. "We got a couple of grants to help us along." A Dr. Pepper/Snapple grant through Kaboom will provide $24,000 toward playground equipment if the village raises $9,000. A second grant, $3,500 from the Pike County Health and Wellness Foundation, goes toward the village's match for the Kaboom grant. A "design day" event gave residents a chance to help choose playground equipment. Tentative designs for the playground still need to be finalized, but it will include equipment and a basketball court. A build date is planned for September. Trusewych said the park, located by the railroad tracks on the southwest side of town, will benefit Nebo's youngest residents and their families. "They don't have anywhere to play in that town. They have to play on the streets or the railroad track," Trusewych said. "They have to walk to Pleasant Hill for the nearest playground, and kids can't do that." But the park also will recognize the village's veterans. "We'll put up a veterans memorial that's already here, and made of bronze," Hubbard said. "That will be part of the project and flags." -- dhusar@whig.com/221-3379
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