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Kent State Helps Put the Dan Smith Community Park Fundraising Campaign Over the Top
Posted June 22, 2015 | Kristin Anderson
Kent State University President Beverly Warren (middle)
presents a $20,000 check to Michelle Hartman (second
from left), who heads the fundraising effort for the Dan
Smith Community Park, through the Burbick Foundation.
Surrounding Hartman and Warren are Gregg Floyd, Kent
State's senior vice president for finance and administration
(left); Jerry Fiala, mayor of the city of Kent; and Jeffery
McLain, executive director of the Kent State Foundation.
A proposed park in the heart of downtown Kent is another step closer to honoring a man who dedicated his life to the community.
In March 2015, community volunteers started raising funds to build the park in memory of Dan Smith, former city of Kent economic development director, who passed away at the age of 45 from brain cancer nearly a year ago.
To continue Smith’s legacy, Kent State University President Beverly Warren presented a $20,000 check to Kent Mayor Jerry Fiala and Michelle Hartman, who is leading the fundraising effort through the Burbick Foundation.
“We want to be a part of extending Dan’s legacy with this gift,” Warren says. “His memory will live on, not only in the park, but in the work that we’re going to do together as we keep moving the city of Kent and Kent State forward, honoring the vision that Dan had long ago.”
The park will be located downtown between Bar 145 and the Landmark at Kent building. It will reflect Smith’s love of family, music and trains. Some of the highlights will include a children’s train and slide, a stage for live music and green space to enjoy cornhole and Connect Four. Both of the games were favorites that Smith would play with his two daughters.
Community volunteers had hoped to raise $250,000. Kent State’s donation helped push the total over its goal.
“Kent State has been a huge partner in this project,” Hartman says. “Dan had a wonderful relationship with Kent State. Their efforts together have so much to do with where we are today, and Dan would want this partnership to continue because he was all about community.”
Groundbreaking for the project is scheduled for July 2015, with the hope of dedicating the park in the late fall.
To learn more about the Dan Smith Community Park, visit www.dansmithcommunitypark.com.