04/26/2025 Forum

As a committed member of our community, and as someone eager to share her passion for EPRD, and explain why she believes she can better provide perspective to the Board, Ally Hilgefort is so sorry she cannot be here with you all this morning.

As a mom of a preschooler and second-grader, she unfortunately could not cancel a long-awaited Mother-Daughter trip with her seven-year-old to the 'most magical place on Earth' - Although, to be honest, she would actually argue that the most magical place is here in Evergreen.

While originally from the Cincinnati area, Ally and her husband always dreamed of planting their own roots somewhere they could raise kids with tons of outdoor natural activities, but with enough community to feel that sense of belonging and contribution.

They moved into their home here four years ago, but Ally began dialing herself in with EPRD nearly two years prior- that's how important community-building groups are to her. She has long emailed feedback on events and classes, taken their surveys, and generally rooted for their success. Because their successes translate to our collective community's benefit.

While the rec centers and spaces for activity and growth in a variety of areas are incredibly valuable to have accessible here- the most important thing EPRD does, is actually helping to build our community itself- bringing people together for campouts on the fields, giving kids an after-school play space together... Offering us communal environments to be together, here, within our beautiful natural environment- letting us interact and grow friendships, and partnerships.

We are so lucky to have a parks & rec group like EPRD, and Ally has loved watching the evolution even over just the last few years- From event cancellations coming out of Covid, with not enough registrations..

..To the actual addition of even more amazing events, like Frostival, and giving back the community Fourth of July festival that had gone away.

..To seeing family and kids events sell out, with some expanding over multiple date options- like this year's Haunted Glow experience.

.. To the announcement of consistently scheduled Parents Night Outssomething Ally suggested a few months ago. If families know there are reliable options to schedule around, they'll take better advantage of all EPRD attempts to provide. Parents Night Outs will now be every other week, rotating between Buchanan and Wulf. It would still be great to see an earlier time frame for those, but one thing at a time :) Ally would also like to see playschool offered more, and advertised. Low numbers led to the decrease in time that Playschool is actually available.

Leading up to those counts, though, parents had a hard time knowing if they could rely on it. So they stopped considering it as an option, which is a shame for the one thing available to kids 2 and under - a segment that EPRD could be providing way more for, in the form of "baby and me" music circles or similar classes for both caregivers & their young.

On the flip side of the youth spectrum, our teenagers need more indoor, low-cost options in Evergreen. A member of the Youth Advisory Board recently held a feedback session with classmates and presented findings to the board- Which definitely deserves to be rewarded with more activities.

This could be as simple as an organized board game night as a designated hangout. Or as involved as partnering with the Middle School to spruce up their track and field space, creating more room for programming and play.

EPRD's recent partnership with "Seniors-for-Wellness" is a great example of what can be done when we work together. They're helping to increase socialization amongst our senior residents, which will do so much for their lives. Ally believes similar collaborations can happen across the board for our community.

Ally's running for the board because she's passionate about what they do for our area- They provide opportunities of all kinds to the people here.

They build up our community, and she wants to see that go even further.

About a year ago, she and her family attended the "Walk-the-Park" event to learn more about the Buchanan Plans, which motivated her to start attending the monthly board meetings back in September.

In November, she encouraged the board to go back to offering a virtual option for people to attend these meetings from home, and in March, she further encouraged them to keep that virtual option going.

..That encouragement may have simply come from her silent head nods in the audience, but she felt it was important to root for that service. Making access to EPRD easier, makes it easier for residents to engage.

Experiencing these meetings as a member of the public inspired her to strive for a position on the board, so she can more effectively advocate for all of Evergreen.

The projects in the works are meaningful and will impact our region for generations to come. Not just in what they'll offer physically- a pavilion, courts, a playground and so on- but in the programming possibilities these new spaces will allow for, and the opportunity to provide for even more people.

While Ally has contributed to several areas of our community-

- PTA Member, Room Parent, and Yearbook Editor for Bergen Elementary..

- Fire Ambassador and Design Review Chair for her HOA..

- Co-founder of "The Trails Collective" - (working with champions of

Evergreen to keep her neighborhood in-the-know on potential Bergen Meadow plans)..

… Ally is most excited to drive her energy even deeper into EPRD.

To be honest, she'll continue her involvement even if it's still from the audience.

But she knows having an official voice at that table will bring perspective to the board in all of the decision making that they have in the years ahead, so that we can shape an even better Evergreen, for everyone.