​The Village of Glen Carbon received a $39,209 donation from the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Junior Service Club Tuesday, Dec. 19 at the last regular meeting of the Village Board.
After gathering funds through various fundraisers each year and making donations to local organizations in the community, JSC made the contribution to go toward purchasing new playground equipment for Schon Park in Glen Carbon.
The equipment is set to be installed in the spring of 2018.
Glen Carbon Mayor Rob Jackstadt said at the meeting that both he and the village are grateful for the JSC’s donation.
“On behalf of the village, I want to thank the Junior Service Club for its dedication to the community. The Junior Service Club raises a lot of money throughout the year for a lot of good things and we can’t wait to see the development of the park and the playground come into fruition. Thank you,” Jackstadt said.
In addition to the JSC’s contribution, the Village has also launched a campaign for the development of the park – the “Make Schon Park Shine,” campaign. So far, $2,102 has been raised in donations from the public.
Currently, the village is in Phase 2A of the Schon Park project, which is estimated to cost a total of $1.6 million. The site work includes the construction of the parking lot, playground and restrooms, as well as storm and sanitary sewer work, grading and erosion control, landscaping and lighting.
The final plan for the 36-acre park also includes bicycle and walking trails, a baseball diamond, basketball and tennis courts and a concession stand. The total cost of the project is estimated at $6 million. It’s located on Main Street across from the Village Hall.
The next upcoming event for the JSC will be its Casino Night Saturday, Jan. 27. Tickets are $100 per person and the event will take place in the Leclaire Room at the Lewis and Clark campus in Edwardsville. Casino games, a Texas hold’em tournament, heavey hors d’oeuvres, open bar, music and a live and silent auction will be featured.
For more information or to purchase tickets to Casino Night, visit www.edglenjuniorservice.org/jsc-casino-night.html. To make a donation or learn more about Schon Park, contact Village Administrator Jamie Bowden at 618-288-2614.

EDWARDSVILLE - The Junior Service Club of Edwardsville/Glen Carbon’s mission is to foster volunteerism by developing member talents and interests through a variety of fundraising and philanthropic projects and at the same time, building valued relationships.
Each year, since 1938, women in Edwardsville/Glen Carbon have participated in a wide variety of Junior Service Club community projects and also given back to local organizations and individuals with large amounts of contributions of time and money.
One of the most impressive Junior Service Club contributions announced this year was a $25,000 donation to Watershed Nature Center for and Educational Meadow.
This is a description provided by Watershed Nature Center about the contribution for an Educational Meadow:
“The educational meadow will be installed on an area that will require significant fill to achieve the desired grade. This area will consist of an natural play are that will be an open lawn for relaxation and recreation as well as a small natural play area for children, which will include logs, stumps and boulders for crawling and climbing. Included will be two different teaching gardens that will serve all nature students – “K through Grey”. Surrounding the lawn area will be a new native meadow, consisting of a mixture of grasses, forbs and wildflowers to attract birds, insects, butterflies, and other wildlife.”
Junior Service Club President is Karen Marcus. She firmly believes in all of Junior Service Club’s work in the community. She said the group is exceptionally supportive of Watershed Nature Center.

She said this about the Watershed Nature Center Educational Meadow contribution:
“Our thought on that it is kids go there on field trips to Watershed and the Nature Center and we just feel like that education is the one thing that will make the next generation appreciate the area.”
Marcus continued and said it is amazing to stand in front of a group of 100 women and ask if they would like to donate $25,000 to a project like the Watershed one, and have everyone support it.
“As females and moms in the community, we know Watershed is a vital part of helping our kids and community understand nature, animals and vegetation in the area. A lot of kids would never been able to experience that growing up in a residential area. Watershed truly serves so many purposes and is a place to go and educational nature.”
During the year, Junior Service Club has an Adopt-A-Family service project for families in need at holidays, birthdays and special events. The Junior Service Club constantly contributes financial and volunteer work to the Glen Ed Pantry. Meals on Wheels, Project 612, both which are related to delivering meals and food are annual projects.
JSC members also participate in events at nursing homes. The Boundless Playground in Edwardsville Township Park was a Junior Service Club Signature Project.
Marcus said in September, anyone who wishes to apply for grants through Junior Service Club can fill out an application. She said the group starts its calendar year in September.
For more see edglenjuniorservice.org.