Since 2014, global power leader Cummins has been investing time, talent and resources in Indy’s Near Eastside community to help the community prosper. This year alone, more than 300 Cummins employees have contributed over 2,000 volunteer hours to enhance efforts for several Near Eastside organizations, including their work along the Pogue’s Run waterway with invasive plant removal, native plantings and the installation of a bee motel. This month, Reconnecting to Our Waterways(ROW) and the Pogue’s Run Waterway Committee have two new reasons to celebrate this important and impactful partnership with Cummins.
The Cummins Foundation recently awarded a grant to complete the design of the historic Nowland Avenue Bridge and a section of the Pogue’s Run Trail so that it will be “shovel ready,” for quick construction once additional funding for the project is secured. Cummins’ contribution boosts the successful crowdfunding efforts of Pathway Over Pogue’s (POP) which raised $41,000 in contributions from the community, matched with $30,000 from the Central Indiana Community Foundation. Other ROW partners, like Citizens Energy Group, are also making sections of the trail a reality as they restore DigIndy construction areas with finished trail segments.
“POP is so excited and appreciative of this generous contribution from the Cummins Foundation,” said Laurie Klinger, an active POP Task Force volunteer. “It will make a world of difference in moving the historic bridge project forward, especially as we recently learned that the design costs might be greater than initially thought, leaving a gap of needed funding. This Cummins contribution could not have been better timed and will be put to good use.”
In addition, ROW was honored to receive Cummins’ Community Impact Award for 2018 during a luncheon on Dec. 3 at their Indianapolis office. The award was in recognition of ROW’s outstanding work on the Near Eastside of Indianapolis, and specifically recognized the streamside restoration project, which was done in conjunction with the Pogue’s Run Waterway Committee, Indianapolis Department of Public Works (Land Stewardship) and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful.
“ROW’s collective impact initiative works through partnerships among waterway volunteers brought together with community and corporate partners,” said Julie L Rhodes, ROW’s Collective Impact Director. “Our long-standing partnership with Cummins through alignment of volunteers and other resources in the community around Pogue’s Run is genuinely benefiting the community, and this latest financial contribution and award will pave the way for even more positive impact on Indy’s Near Eastside in the future.”
“Cummins views the completion of Pogue’s Run Trail as a key project to enhance connectivity between the Near Eastside neighborhood and the rest of Indianapolis,” said Alex Miser, Communications Manager at Cummins. “We believe that completing Pogue’s Run Trail will strengthen the waterway and ultimately become a key asset for Brookside Park, Spades Parks and the Near Eastside as a whole.”
To learn more about the Nowland Avenue Bridge and Pogue’s Run Trail fundraising opportunities, visit POP’s website.