PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — As part of WMBD’s “Together We Rise” series, WMBD is featuring a park project designed to inspire gratitude in Peoria’s south end.
Every year, Build Peoria funds one community project, and this year leaders chose the POTENT Gratitude Park project.
POTENT stands for people, opportunities, things, experiences, nature, and thoughts, or as Bob Woolsey put it, the six things to be grateful for.
“I believe that the world is full of wonderful things to be grateful for,” said Woolsey, Chief Inspiration Officer at Jones Bros Jewelers.
Woolsey is part of the team that pitched the park to Build Peoria, and he will serve as an organizer for the project. The park will be built next to Sovereign Grace Baptist Church in Peoria’s South End, across the street from the Proctor Recreation Center.
He said the idea came from Pastor Alvin Riley, founder of the church.
“Our goal is to be able to work with the kids in the community, give the kids a safe place to come to, try to help reduce some of the violence, partnering up with Proctor,” Pastor Riley said.
The full story airs Thursday, Dec. 2 at 10 p.m. on WMBD News.
A full-length digital article will also be posted.
To read up on the park and the blog under the same theme, click here.
Those wishing to donate to the project can do so by visiting the Build Peoria website. There will also be fundraisers throughout the process.
One recurring fundraiser is Build Peoria bar takeovers, including Wednesday, Dec. 1 at Peoria’s Castle Patio Inn and Jan. 10 at Waters Edge Winery & Bistro Peoria Heights.
