Future inclusive playground in Marble Falls gets $25K from JM Huber
A $25,000 grant from J.M. Huber Corp. will go toward building the Wyatt's Clubhouse inclusive playground in Marble Falls. Courtesy photo
The Marble Falls Inclusive Play Group received a $25,000 grant from J.M. Huber Corp. for Wyatt’s Clubhouse, a playground for children of all abilities.
The park project’s plans include ramps, harnesses, and sensory-friendly equipment. A site has been chosen next to Colt Elementary School.
“We were really, really excited to hear we got this grant,” said Taylor Smith, the nonprofit group’s treasurer. “It’s an amazing amount, and we’re really excited about it.”
The Inclusive Play Group was one of 11 grant recipients out of over 50 applications submitted to the global engineered materials company, which has a manufacturing site in Marble Falls.
“The money is going to go a long way to getting us where we need to be,” Smith said.
Retired J.M. Huber employee Robben Thompson submitted an application for the nonprofit earlier this year.
“She worked for Huber for a long time,” Smith said. “She applied for us before, and this time it got approved. We’re very thankful for her efforts.”
Smith hopes the grant will spur other donors.
“We’re hoping we can use (the grant) to talk to some more local businesses to see if they’d be willing to donate since we’ve got buy-in from a gigantic multinational company,” he said.
More grant opportunities are expected to come in 2024 as organizers inch closer to finalizing an agreement with the Marble Falls Independent School District to lease land near Colt Elementary on Manzano Mile.
“A lot of the grants we’re applying for require a location, which I understand,” Smith said. “They don’t want to send money out and hope it works out. It’ll be a big step for us to get the lease finalized.”
To donate or learn more about Wyatt’s Clubhouse, visit the Marble Falls Inclusive Play Group’s website.