This summer saw the Hastings Kiwanis club achieve its goal to install musical playgrounds at all eight Hastings elementary schools despite coronavirus challenges. Children across the region will now be able to learn and play in a new and unique way thanks to the efforts of these amazing volunteers.

Hastings Kiwanis had been looking for a local project to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Initially, the club wanted to construct a single musical playground in a Hastings park, but after further discussion decided to vastly upscale the project and create a musical playground in each Hastings elementary school - thereby allowing the instruments to be accessible and enjoyed by more children across the community.

The Kiwanis approached two Hastings Public Schools music teachers for input, as well as principals and superintendents for all of the elementary schools. Mike Howie, a Hastings Kiwani told us the club was then given the go-ahead, however, this meant the cost of the project increased from $10,000/$12,000 to an $80,000 project.

Hastings Kiwanis began what was expected to be a two- or three-year fundraising campaign and sent a letter out to the community. In response to this letter, the club raised approximately $25,000.

Howie told us Hastings Kiwanis later received $10,000 from the Hastings Community Foundation; $10,000 from an anonymous grant; more than $32,000 through Give Hastings Day; and two $2,000 donations. He added some school Parent Teacher Organizations also donated to the project. “Music education is pretty important, and obviously the people in Hastings are big supporters of that or we wouldn’t have been able to raise the money,” Howie said.

“We took a two- or three-year project and we did it in nine months — it was super exciting,” he said. Greg Schultz, president of the Hastings Kiwanis Club, added the musical playground project has been successful due to the support they've received. “We’ve had an awful lot of support from the Hastings community through their donations and the support that we get from volunteers and monetary contributions,” he said. “We appreciate everyone who has been able to contribute and make this a successful project.”

By May, the Hastings Kiwanis had enough money to place an order for the outdoor musical instruments for all eight musical playgrounds. Mike was introduced to local Percussion Play reseller Julie Kutilek of Creative Sites who would be on hand to answer any questions and help support the project.