Persistence is a quality some organizations lack. They strike up a seemingly great idea for a seemingly great cause, rally together and dream up big plans. But when push comes to shove, many of these groups and the causes they champion flame out thanks to a lack of ambition, overextension and disinterest over time. How quick do people forget that some times it’s slow and steady action that wins the race?

The Friends of Cione, on the other hand, are a neighborhood organization that doesn’t lack persistence. Instead they embody that ideal—an ideal that they hope will ultimately take the playground they represent and love a long way from where it is right now.

“We’re looking forward to fostering community and having people coming to together at Cione,” Brian White, President of the Friends of Cione, said. “We want people to get back into the swing of things here and care about our playground.”

The Friends of Cione is a community organization whose purpose is improve Cione Playground (Aramingo Ave. and Lehigh Ave.) and reestablish the large recreational space as a centralized community hub—a place where children can play, parents can congregate and neighbors can recreate. Already, The Friends of Cione have made strides toward reaching that goal. Thanks to contributions from Olde Richmond Civic Association (ORCA) and Councilman Mark Squilla, Cione Playground has a brand new fence surrounding it. Friends of Cione also recently partnered with Joe Kotwicki and Lenny Lineman for a hugely successful hockey tournament at Cione’s rink that raised $3,000 while drumming up awareness that big things are in the works at the playground. Next on the docket is a community fundraiser event on Sat., September 27 from 11 AM to 5 PM that will feature Cow Chip Bingo and a grand prize of $10,000. The event is being held thanks to the support of 27 sponsors that includes local businesses and politicians.

“Cow Chip Bingo is an idea we got from a few different places that have been running them for years,” White said. “It seems like a great way to get the community together, have fun and raise some money for a good cause, all things the playground is about.”

For those unfamiliar with Cow Chip Bingo the rules are simple:

“There are 1,600 blocks, one square yard each,” explained Don Gould, president of ORCA, said. “Then the cow comes in, takes his business, and we look out our board that corresponds to the field. We’ll pick the tickets out randomly and place them on our board the night before the event. If your ticket is on that magic block you win $10,000.”

A donation of $20 gets you a ticket good for one block and a chance at the cash. In addition to the Cow Chip Bingo, the event will feature live music, food trucks, a moon bounce for kids, as well as the raffling of a 51-inch television. Additional tickets for kids entertainment will be sold for $5, which gets playtime on the moon bounce, a hot dog and drink, and tickets for games.

“It’s an affordable way for parents to bring their families out, bring their beach chairs, listen to music, and eat food as they wait for the cow and enjoy themselves” Sue Gallagher of the Friends of Cione said.

Bands set to perform include The Nines, Rockfish and A1, while food will be provided by trucks like Vittels, Dieters Pizza Truck and Jack & Jill Ice Cream. In addition, the neighborhood’s own Mike Marko will be taking pies to the face for $5 donations— if that’s not reason enough to come to the event then I don’t know what is.

Tickets for the fundraiser and bingo squares can be purchased at the Memphis Market, Eileen’s Hair Salon and Fishtown Auto Tags. You can also contact Friends of Cione directly on Facebook and get your tickets that way. All proceeds generated by the fundraiser will benefit Friends of Cione and ORCA and will go toward future beautification projects at the playground.

“The next big project is the sidewalk, which Marla Marko, Don Gould, Commissioner of the Department of Parks and Recreation Mike DiBernardinis and Councilmen Squilla have met about and should be getting done with shortly,” White said. “Now that the fence is up, we are really looking forward to getting the baseball infield done so it will drain properly. This will help make the football field ready so that St. Anne’s football team can play home games here. We are also pushing for some state of the art cameras that will help deter crime and vandalism, which is obviously important to keep the playground area nice and safe.”

Friends of Cione has applied for its 501c3 non-profit status and its members are steadfast in their pursuit for a clean, updated and, most of all, safe place for children in the neighborhood to come and grow, no matter how long it takes.

“The playground will make some money through this fundraiser and we’ll spend it wisely,” Gould said. “None of us [Board Members] draw a salary here, everybody donates their time and we’re in it for the same thing—a better playground and a better community overall. It’ll take some time but it’ll be good. We just have to keep the course, be persistent and gracefully squeak to where we want to be sooner rather then later.”

While it will be a cow milling around the field of Cione Playground on Saturday, the Friends of Cione are taking a page of the tortoise’s playbook as he pursued the hare— slow and steady, always keeping your eye on the prize.