Accessibility-focused park honored for meaningful contributions to Kansas community

The Accessible Recreation Complex (ARC Park) that is being constructed in Hays was recognized by Robcom LLC and Cenex, the energy brand of CHS, for being a unique source of pride in the community. ARC Park is an accessible play space for children of all abilities that is set to open this fall.

 The Arc of Central Plains received a $5,000 donation to help fund construction of the park.

Once completed, ARC Park will provide children of western Kansas with a fully accessible playground, baseball field and splash pad where those of all abilities can play together. The space will emphasize inclusion, self-empowerment, collaboration and imaginative play for the 1,400 children and adults with disabilities in the area, along with their families and friends.

 “Southside Convenience is proud to support our community,” said Tara Patel, owner of the Southside Convenience Cenex location in Hays. “ARC Park will be a tremendous asset to the city of Hays and to the thousands of children who will play there each year.”

 The $5,000 donation was provided to Southside Convenience through a grant program that encourages Cenex retailers to share stories about what makes their local communities unique or special. In total, Cenex retailers will receive more than $100,000 to give back to their communities this year. 

 “The Cenex brand has a deep-rooted history of serving the people and communities of rural America,” says Bryan Brignac, director of marketing at CHS, the nation’s largest farmer-owned cooperative. “We are proud of our Cenex retailers, like Southside Convenience, who play an active role in enriching their communities.”

Applications for the grants are competitive among almost 1,500 stores in 19 states.

“The ARC Park has a unique opportunity to be the pride of western Kansas,” Brignac said. “we are supportive of any meaningful projects that will help enrich the lives for so many different families and kids in the Hays area. When you look nationally, how many of these parks are out there?

“This, in our eyes, is a very unique attraction that will definitely benefit not only the residents of Hays, but people from the surrounding communities. With an impact like that, we definitely thought it was unique and deserving of a community contribution.”

Cenex, the energy brand of CHS, provides high-quality refined fuels through nearly 1,500 locally-owned convenience store locations across 19 states. CHS owns and operated the refinery in McPherson, Kansas, where 800 people are employed. CHS buys the majority of its fuel that is processed at McPherson from framers and ranchers in the Kansas area, Brignac said.

Consumers depend on Cenex fuels, lubricants, propane and renewable energy products to power homes, businesses and communities. CHS, Inc.(www.chsinc.com), which owns the Cenex brand, is a leading global agribusiness owned by American farmers across the United States with domestic and international operations including energy, agronomy, grain trading and food processing.