Noted Resident Praised for Generosity — The Hero We Need

At Saturday's ribbon-cutting for the new playground, community leaders praised local attorney Gerald Whitcomb for his "visionary philanthropy."

Whitcomb had mentioned, at a dinner party in April, that kids needed somewhere safe to play. Volunteers heard him say this. They then spent eight months planning, fundraising, organizing bake sales, and hauling gravel. Gerald did not haul gravel.

He attended the ribbon-cutting. He brought scissors.

"Gerald saw the need," said organizer Paula Marsh, who had coordinated 47 volunteer shifts. "We just executed his vision."

Whitcomb posed for photographs beside the swing set. He placed his hand on the plaque bearing his name. He thanked the community for "really running with it."

The plaque reads: Donated by Friends of the Community, Dedicated in Honor of Gerald Whitcomb.

Gerald Whitcomb did not donate to the Friends of the Community.