As schools let out for summer break, parents across the nation prepare to hear the words, “But there’s nothing to do,” chime from their children’s mouths. In Kingston there really isn’t much for children to do, and Kingston community members hope to change that. Twelve-year-old Ethan Winkelman of Kingston has something to do in the summer: he drives a go-cart or jumps on the trampoline. But he may be an exception. “If kids don’t have anything to do they are going to find something,” Ethan’s mother, Sherri Winkelman, said. “And it’s probably going to be destructive.” So, when developer Jerry Fitzloff donated a lot for a playground, Winkelman organized an independent committee to raise money for equipment. The committee consists of five families from Kingston city and township. Their goal is to raise $30,000 for the playground. This will cover items on their wish list, which includes swings, a twister slide, a climbing structure and a glide rail that children can hold onto and propel themselves from platform to platform. There will be a picnic area where families can sit and a basketball court for older kids. The city of Kingston is growing with young families moving in. There are 55 homes in the city of Kingston and 27 children under the age of 13. Ten of those children live in a new housing development east of the community center. Fitzloff has 17 lots, eight lots have been sold and five houses are completed. The lot he donated for the playground is pie-shaped and adjoins the baseball field, which is next to the community center. He cropped the playground lot from an oddly-shaped house lot. “Nobody would’ve bought it and it [a playground] makes a better development,” Fitzloff said. Fitzloff has a second development east of the first one with 12-13 additional lots. The playground will be next to the developments so children living there won’t have to cross busy streets. Crossing streets is one concern Winkelman has for her three boys ages 7, 12 and 16. There is a park with a couple of swings west of Highway 15 next to the North Fork Crow River. But Winkelman and other parents don’t want their children to cross the busy highway and play near the river. If they want to go to a park they usually drive to Kimball or Dassel, as they do for many other things. “We’re encouraging people of Kimball and Dassel to participate because when they need something we [go there and] support them,” Winkelman said. The playground committee finished their first set of fundraisers this month. They served morning coffee and rolls at the community center Saturdays in April. They asked for a free-will donation. The turnout was sparse, but different people showed up each time. Verna Hendrickson served coffee and rolls to help support the playground project. She hopes to bring her grandchildren there when they come to visit. “It’s important for the kids in the community to have something to do,” Hendrickson said. The playground committee has a series of fundraisers planned through September. The next fundraiser is a potluck dinner at the community center 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 21. Work on the playground will begin this summer. The lot will be cleaned up and leveled. They hope to have the basketball court built by the end of the summer. Playground equipment will be installed as the the money is raised. The playground committee is accepting donations. If you would like to make a donation, please address it to: City of Kingston, 31115 CSAH 19, Kingston, MN 55325 Note: The city of Kingston is not funding or initiating this project, it is simply a central mailing address.
