The City of Goose Creek was already making a name for itself in South Carolina and beyond when leadership decided to take a giant leap forward in the City’s mission to become one of the healthiest, happiest communities in the country by building a fully inclusive, all-abilities, 13-acre park. They asked K. Hope Creative to develop a capital campaign plan and the marketing materials to support it, design park signage, and lead the creation of the groundbreaking and grand opening events.
A Discovery Phase filled with interviews with City leadership, including the mayor, city administrator, Goose Creek Recreation Department director, and the Therapeutic Recreation Division manager, provided valuable details about accessibility goals, features, opportunities, and timeline. Other conversations focused on area industry and potential donors for the $1.3 million public portion of the $9 million investment.
Because the City had established a “Recreation for All” emphasis in 2020, we were able to enhance the spirit of the priority with an All for One and One for All campaign message stressing the need and opportunity. Using “We All Rise” and #recandrise together, we developed a 20-page Case for Support brochure celebrating the new park’s primary features – a fully accessible playground, pavilion, and splash pad. In addition to stories about community members benefitting from activities provided by the Therapeutic Recreation Division, we showcased colorful renderings, feature lists, and developmental benefits for residents of all ages and abilities.
We created individual naming opportunity sheets, a fact sheet, letterhead, and a naming opportunities overview to support the campaign further. We also developed a campaign giving table, talking points, and a shared prospective donor database to help execute fundraising.
Once fundraising was in full swing, we planned the groundbreaking event, including writing talking points for all speakers and developing event signage, giveaways, web copy, and news releases. We went on to create permanent signage for the park entrance, all standalone features, and a donor wall.
As park construction neared completion, we worked with City leaders to plan and execute a successful grand opening weekend that included invitations, a VIP luncheon, event signage, table signage, décor, giveaways, talking points, web copy, and donor gifts.
Not surprisingly, Central Creek Park has become one of the most popular and inclusive gathering places in Berkeley County and South Carolina.
The Work
Working with K. Hope Creative was everything we hoped for and more. In addition to a very creative and professional approach, they helped us deploy a capital campaign that did not look like a traditional government agency initiative. Instead, everything from the fundraising plan and marketing materials to park signage and VIP donor event was elevated, impressive, and extremely impactful.
City Administrator, Goose Creek, SC
2022 Mercury Award of Excellence Community Relations
