Pictured in the front row (from L to R) are Tianna Simpson, Elliana Simpson, and Thatcher Simpson. In the back row (L to R) are council members Lori Brane, Janet Pattee, and Jay Gillespie.
By Tim Arnett
LAFONTAINE,Indiana – Tianna, Elliana, and Thatcher Simpson presented a check for $78.50 to the LaFontaine Town Council to be used for the Cook-Crumley Park in LaFontaine. While it’s a little unusual for a seven year old and his two younger sisters to be presenting a check to any town board, it’s old hat for the Simpson family. Thatcher Simpson has spent the last several Ashland Days selling lemonade to help raise funds for the beleaguered park much in need of improvements. And this year he was joined by his siblings and his parents Tom and Eva Simpson
Because of the weekend heat, the Simpson family only spent four hours after the parade on Saturday selling lemonade. In previous years, lemonade was sold on both Friday and Saturday and, accordingly, Thatcher raised in the ballpark of $200 several years running. He started selling at the Ashland Days when he was just three. Mother Eva told MiBash News that Thatcher wanted to fix the crumbling park at an early age because it is next to where he grew up. After his mom told him that his family couldn’t do it alone, the idea of selling lemonade was hatched and now everyone in town knows who little Thatcher is and what he’s fighting for.
Unfortunately, 2016 might be the last year Thatcher and his siblings sell lemonade at the festival. When asked why, Mother Eva Simpson said, “He’s a kid and he wants to be a kid. When you consider that we’ve been doing this for four years, it’s time for us to just go and be a family and enjoy ourselves at our festival and not just work it.” And the Simpson family aren’t the only ones getting involved. The students of Southwood Elementary raised $3,278 in a “penny war” in March to help the park. Others have sponsored chili suppers and T-shirt sales to help out.
When it comes to the progress of the improvements, LaFontaine Park Project Committee Member Eva Simpson said that she believes the public is behind what they are trying to do regarding park renovations. But, she said, some people think more progress should have been made by now. Simpson went on to say that the park has not made huge visual progress since all the old playground equipment was torn out a few months ago.