In seeking support for the group’s first official fundraiser, Pawnee Rock Revitalization Committee member Jon Prescott asked Barton County commissioners Wednesday morning to allow road closures for the upcoming Hard Rock Run on July 22. He also used the opportunity to give the commission an  update on other improvements in the community.

“This is totally exciting,” he said.

Starting at the Pawnee Rock City Hall and including a jaunt up the Pawnee Rock Monument, the 5K run will begin at 7:30 a.m. and is scheduled for two hours. There is also a one-mile walk from City Hall up to the top of the monument and back.

Closed were a single lane of roads north of Pawnee Rock, including: SW 110th Avenue, SW 60 Road and SW 112 Avenue from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. One lane will be open to traffic.

“We will have volunteers that will be working on those roads to direct traffic and help people understand that,” he said.

A lot is happening

In March, the commission approved a $50,000 grant to Pawnee Rock for “revitalizing a very charming community that was extremely charming years ago and it’s going to come back,” he said.

Members of the committee came before the commission a year ago in March seeking funding. They were told to come back with a plan, which they did this year, Prescott said.

That contribution has mushroomed to $173,000 to date for the effort. “So pretty amazing. It’s incredible,” he said.

“One thing that is very passionate to our hearts, is the fact that Pawnee Rock is the first impression for travelers coming from the west. That’s the first impression of our county,” he said. “And historically, that has not been a real good impression, but that’s going to change as well.”

In addition to the county grant, Jeanine and Brad Haynes contributed $100,000 through the Golden Belt Community Foundation, the foundation itself kicked in $1,000, CUNA Mutual (which is rebranding as TruStage) contributed $10,000, and private donations brought in $2,000. 

Besides the $10,000, CUNA is also paying for its employees to volunteer and help with the beautification project, Prescott said.

Pawnee Rock City Clerk Chris Mead told the Great Bend Tribune that volunteers from CUNA Mutual/TruStage have scheduled a Community Impact Day for Wednesday, May 24. They plan to paint the park bathrooms and do some landscaping.

It goes beyond money; Prescott said this initiative has attracted four new families to Pawnee Rock, two homes are being totally renovated and one homeowner is taking advantage of the Great Bend Economic Development Inc.’s Brush It Up program, which offers money toward material costs for painting projects in the county.

“We are also now up to 72 children in that small community,” he said. “So that indicates the real need for this community park, to give those kids a place to go and something to do.”

Phase One is the construction of a new 20-by-40-foot pavilion in the park, The materials were delivered Sunday, and a crew of volunteers will assemble it (a concrete pad has already been set) on Saturday, June 3.

The second phase is the new playground equipment, which has already been ordered. The Fun Factory setup from American Playground Equipment, McKinney, Texas, normally would have cost $75,000, but it was being liquidated and cost only $37,500.

The third phase consists of adding handicapped-accessible playground equipment, he said.

Prescott said they are providing daily updates on the Pawnee Rock Revitalization Facebook page.