Trees added to memorial park
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
POLSON — It’s been 17 years since Jana Campbell and Anita Meyer were killed by a drunk driver on their way to Kalispell on Aug. 19. Anita was 17, and Jana would have turned 57 in October.
“It was an awful time,” John Campbell, Jana’s dad said.
The Campbells and Peggy Wheeler, Anita’s mom, decided they had to do something to honor their daughters. With a goal of $25,000, they raised closer to $35,000 for Jaws of Life Equipment and a suburban to haul the equipment. The Polson Volunteer Fire Department had equipment until three years ago when they passed the rig on to the St. Ignatius Volunteer Fire Department. About $5,000 in cash went to the Ronan Volunteer Fire Department for equipment.
John Campbell was the Polson Water and Sewer Superintendent when the city built a reservoir in Woodbine in about 1990. The remaining lots and what is now the Travis Dolphin Dog Park needed to be mowed so John convinced the city council to donate the land to the Polson City Parks Department because the Parks Department waters and mow. The land in Woodbine was dedicated as a park in Jana Campbell’s name.
This year John and Jill, Jana’s mom, hosted John’s five brothers and sisters for a family reunion. During the reunion, on about July 23 or so, John said they planted trees in Jana’s park.
It was a community effort as well since Polson City Manager and Polson City Attorney James Raymond and their Boy Scout troop dug the holes and hauled in black dirt. Polson Park Department Superintendent Karen Sargeant and her crew installed a bubbler watering system. The Campbell family purchased four trees, all native species, from Delaney’s Landscape Center, Inc. John Campbell, Jr., Jana’s brother, bought another tree, and Delaney’s donated a tree plus the landscape design for the park. The Campbell family planted the trees.
It was “a time of healing,” John said, adding that he plans to plant more trees next year.
