INDIANAPOLIS – A west-side church says it cannot afford to replace playground equipment stolen off its property. Someone snatched swings and slides worth this week from Lynhurst Baptist Church.
The church runs a number of programs including a preschool. Aside from a few pieces of playground equipment, a fenced-in area outside now sits empty after thieves hit.
And the equipment wasn’t new, either – it was weathered and not worth thousands of dollars, but it brought so much joy to the kids. The equipment will cost at least $500 to replace and the church says that’s money it doesn’t have.
Preschool program coordinator Gail Wolfe says the church’s members don’t have a lot of money, and often the funds the church has is used to support them through free dinners, a food pantry and low-cost childcare.
“I was just sick,” Wolfe said. “It made me physically sick that here, right before Christmas, in this neighborhood – that someone would come and remove a swing set.”
The pastor says the church doesn’t want justice – it just wants its equipment back.
“Whoever did this – whoever is involved – we say, ‘We’ve already forgiven you,’” Pastor Ben Wakefield said. “Just bring it back. There are no hard feelings.”
More information on Lynhurst Baptist Church here.
-----
Follow Anne Kelly on Twitter: @annekellyrtv6 | Facebook: AnneKellyRTV6
Download the free RTV6 app to get the latest news on the go and receive alerts to your phone
