Frequently Asked Questions:
What’s a Park Hop? How does it work?
The Park Hop is a free, community-wide scavenger hunt through our parks and nature preserves. Ripley County, Indiana is full of places for you to explore in nature. The Park Hop is a fun way for families (and kids of all ages) to get outside and have fun.
Community members will visit as many parks as they can, while having fun exploring new parks. At each park, they will answer the clues on the Park Hop Passport they received at one of the Ripley County Libraries or printed from our website. Kids 18 years and younger can claim prizes based on how many parks they visit at the Park Hop Finale on May 1st at the Versailles State Park Shimmerhorn Shelter.
What is a Story-walk?
Story-walk is a fun, educational activity that places a children’s story along a popular walking route in our community. The Story-walk Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition and the Kellogg Hubbard Library. Ripley County Reads’ Story-walk is a free story that is displayed on a nature or hiking trail for you and your child’s enjoyment. Stop by our six locations anytime between now and April 30th, 2021 to read this year’s nature themed stories while enjoying nature! You can also read the stories at our Park Hop Finale! We will have them set-up through the Versailles State Park! Story-walk’s are beneficial in providing a safe outdoor activity for your child(ren) that also promotes reading and early childhood literacy.
Story Walk projects have a BROAD APPEAL to everyone":
• Promotes reading and outdoor physical activity for kids and families.
• physical activity
• reading/literacy
• family time
• builds community
Where are the Story-walk’s located?
Story-walk’s are located at the following parks between March 1st and April 30th, 2021:
Pangburn Park - Versailles
Holton Community Park - Holton
Brum Woods -Batesville
Osgood Trails - Osgood
Sunman Community Park - Sunman
Darren Baker Memorial Park - Milan
What is a Pop-up at the Park event?
Pop-up at the park is a free event hosted at different parks throughout the county. We will have a nature themed activity for your child along with some fun-facts about nature!
When and where are the Pop-up at the Park events?
Our Pop-up at the Park events are still being scheduled at this time. We will update this page when our committee finalizes the locations and event times.
Do you know your target audience for this event?
The Ripley County Park Hop is open to the public of any age to participate. While it is open to all ages, we are limiting prizes to any participant under the age of 18 years old.
When and where is the Park Hop?
While we do have an ending program date and location of May 1st 2021 at the Shimmerhorn Shelter in the Versailles State Park, the passports will be available to participants on March 1st, 2021. Families and children can explore all 17 parks listed on the passport on their own time, and come to the ending program to claim their prize.
Ripley County Reads is also adding four new events to the Park Hop this year! We are going to host four Pop-up at the park events spread throughout the county. These events will be free to the public and will focus around nature crafts and activities.
What’s the Schedule?
While we are excited to host the Park Hop for our second year in 2021, we are still in the finalizing stages of a schedule for our Pop-up at the Park activities. We are ensuring to keep up with local, state, and national guidelines on the COVID-19 pandemic and will take all necessary precautions when it comes to our community.
How can you help support the Park Hop?
This year, we are asking for monetary donations. These donations will help purchase materials for the 2021 Ripley County Park Hop. Materials to be purchased are for our SIX NEW story-walk locations, Pop-up at the park event activity materials, and prizes and grand prizes for our ending program. We are so grateful for any donation we receive! Please let us know if you have any questions about donations or how to donate to our event!
How much can I donate?
We are very appreciative of any level of donation received. This year, we have compiled a list of sponsorship levels that include various levels of perks associated with them. Please click on the sponsorship level flyer down below to see this year’s sponsorship levels.
Do you accept non-monetary donations for this event?
While we are asking for monetary donations, if your business would like to donate non-monetary items such as grand prizes, prizes, activity sheets, stickers, etc; please email Sarahb@tysonlibrary.org. We are more than happy to provide examples of donations from last year’s Park Hop as well as some materials we may still need for this year.
Are you a 501(C)3 Corporation?
Ripley County Reads is not a 501(C)3 Corporation BUT some of our committee’s businesses are and are happy to send proof of our 501(C)3 status to any business or organization that cannot donate to an entity other than a 501(C)3 Corporation. Our committee members with this status accept the fiscal responsibility of accepting the monies for Ripley County Reads to use for the 2021 Park Hop. Please email sarahb@tysonlibrary.org and ripleycountytourism@gmail.com to send proof a a 501(C)3 status or a form W9, we will be happy to supply your business with this information.
How can you get involved?
We are always open to suggestions for how to get businesses and community partners involved! For the 2021 Park Hop, we have included 10 spots at our ending event for two levels of sponsorship. These spots are on a first-come-first-serve basis and the businesses must call or email the Ripley County Reads Committee members given in your flyer. While this is limited this year, we may open it up for more sponsors to join us at the final event next year.
I have a suggestion that will make the Park Hop better, how do I contact you?
We are always looking for ways to streamline the process and to make the Park Hop excel! If you’d like to make a suggestion, please contact us using the form below.