When the leadership of Grace Lutheran Church found out the city was not going to be able to fund Hawthorne Park this summer as a playpark, the church’s council decided to step forward and donate money.

The church, which is across Garfield Avenue from the park, donated $1,800 to the city Parks and Recreation Department. The money will be used to fund the one park leader who works at the site, along with the other program activities there.

“It was awesome,” said Jennifer Davis, recreation program supervisor. “I didn’t expect it at all. It was very, very generous of them, and they were more than happy to do it.”

The playpark program provides adult supervision and child-oriented activities at selected parks in the Albert Lea parks system.

Though one reason the park was going to be closed was because of budget cuts, another reason was because the park had the least amount of attendance there last year, Davis said.

Sue Barber, a member of the Grace Lutheran Church Council, said many children who come to the church — both members and nonmembers — utilize the playpark activities, and it looked like a good place the church could help out so they could still have activities there.

“Our mission statement for our church is bringing people together and being disciples for Christ,” Barber said. “We’re trying very hard to implement that statement.”

This includes being a good neighbor, she noted.

“Our church, we try to be very community-minded and help out wherever we can,” she said, pointing out the state of the economy.

While the decision was ultimately one of the church’s council, the money came from donations of the congregation’s members, Barber said. The donation was a one-time decision, but she’s sure the council will evaluate it again next year.

The church has asked for volunteers to help at the park and to be there when it is open.

The other Albert Lea playparks are Academy, Hayek, Sondergaard, Southwest, Troy-Hammer, Valley and Lakeview parks.

Playparks are open from 1 to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.