Kiwanis bourbon dinner to support new playground at Deis Hill Park

Deis Hill Park will soon be an even better spot for families thanks to the Dover-New Philadelphia Kiwanis Club. The organization is planning to install new playground equipment at the park, with proceeds from an Oct. 2 bourbon tasting dinner helping fund the project.

The choice to install new playground equipment is a natural for the club, said member Brenda Cameron. “At Kiwanis, children are at the heart of everything we do. Kiwanis Club is a nonprofit service organization dedicated to improving the lives of children in our community.” 

The organization has been active locally for 105 years. In addition to brick-and-mortar community projects, the club offers annual $500 scholarships to students from Dover, New Philadelphia and Tuscarawas Central Catholic schools entering college. 

The playground addition will benefit from the club’s past installations both at the park and at the Tuscarawas County YMCA. “The YMCA playground is a little more extensive and has been especially well received," said Cameron. "Families come from all over to take advantage of that. The new structure at Deis Hill will incorporate some similar features as the one at the YMCA. It will give kids more things to do. The park is a very popular place for families so we thought it would be great to add on to what is there now. We also learned a little bit more about playgrounds after the YMCA project.” 

Cameron said the new equipment will take into account the many ways children like to play. “It will be very inclusive for all children and all different types of play. Sensory boards will appeal to many kinds of kids and a ‘cozy dome' will offer space for someone who just wants some quiet time. There’s also a structure you can climb on and be physical.” She said a lot of research goes into the development of playground structures and how they can appeal to kids at play.

The new addition at the park is expected to begin construction in the spring 2026.

The project is expected to cost $56,000 to $85,000, with $35,000 already in hand. Thursday, Oct. 2 will see a dinner featuring a menu of delights paired with some rare bourbon offerings to sample. The event is set at Union Country Club in Dover. Cocktails begin at 5:30 p.m. with the dinner with bourbon pairings at 6 p.m.

Cameron said half the fun of putting the dinner together is finding those rare treats. “We keep our eyes open and sometimes you get lucky and find something scarce. Some of these are bourbons that have been aging for 12 or 15 or 18 years, so they’re pretty special. We spend a lot of time searching, standing in line and waiting.” Among the whiskies offered at a raffle at the planned tasting are several bottles from desirable Blanton’s distillery.

The dinner will include five courses, wlth no skimping on glamor or interesting flavors. The first course brings a bacon and biscuit Benedict paired with Penelope Wheat bourbon, while the second delivers a sampling of blackened shrimp and heirloom local grits with Richter’s Small Batch. Moving on to a third course, diners will enjoy a serving of seared halibut, butternut squash risotto, and crispy Brussels sprouts paired with Basil Haden Dark Rye. Next comes a flatiron steak with roasted fall vegetables with Bowman Brothers Small Batch. Finally, a sweet potato truffle with whipped cream, gingersnap cookies and bourbon candied pecans finish off the five courses, paired with Von Payne Black. 

Tickets are $100 each and are available by calling Cameron at 330-340-1235.