Volunteer Support, Corporate Sponsorship, Investor Opportunities

If you would like to help host Gold Star Families, Gold Shield Families, and the families of deployed service members, please reach out — many opportunities exist.

1-Grounds Stewardship

Civpark offers mowed trails, greenhouses, ponds, seasonal farm activities, and a creek that winds toward Lake Monroe. Nearby equine routes connect to Patton Cave (Grubb Ridge) and the Hickory Ridge system. Whether a guest wants to blow off some steam and push deep into the Hoosier National Forest or simply take it easy at the park beside a quiet campfire, we aim to be ready. Each season, the goal is to make it an even better place to host.

Calling all gardeners and those interested in light homesteading projects.


2-Morale, Welfare & Recreation

To help youth adjust to a family member’s deployment, the outdoor program immerses them in a safe, mission‑focused environment that serves as a translation layer between homelife and deployed life. We aim to develop both onsite and mobile programs that provide a clearer understanding of what a mother, father, aunt, uncle, brother, or sister may experience while deployed. In spirit and function, we see this as an MWR‑style program for those who remain at home.

A translation layer is the bridge that helps youth understand the world their deployed family member is living in—without exposing them to anything beyond their developmental range. It takes the abstract idea of “deployment” and turns it into something they can grasp through structured experiences. The park views this as an important way to support the troops- it can build empathy for the parent or relative who is away.

We are currently seeking:

  • Camping gear(tents/sleeping bags/sleeping pads/mess kits/rucksacks/first aid)

  • Fishing poles and tackle

  • A canoe trailer

  • Manual kick scooters

  • Vehicle recovery gear

  • Cast‑aluminum outdoor furniture

  • Volunteers able to help with bicycle maintenance and archery technicians

  • Volunteers able to teach youth about the temperate deciduous forest and conservation

  • Individuals trained in non‑clinical counseling who can donate time on call


3-Facilities Improvement

The Gold Star Cabin needs building materials, furniture, and technical expertise. The Gold Shield Cabin could use updates.

Materials of particular interest:

  • Gutters

  • Foam board insulation

  • HVAC assistance

  • Septic system help

  • excavating work & gravel/fill dirt

  • Bulk woodchips or mulch


4-Firewood Support

Four structures rely on wood heat, and the camping programs always need firewood.

We welcome help with:

  • Cutting

  • Splitting

  • Stacking

  • Transporting wood around the property


5-Transportation

We are seeking:

  • A compact car to serve as a canoe‑trip chase vehicle for shuttling guests to put‑in/take‑out locations.

  • A reliable high‑occupancy vehicle for Remembrance Tours — few know Indianapolis is a national center of remembrance, with the number of military monuments and memorials second only to Washington, D.C.


6-Veterans’ Service Organization

Serial Reciprocity — pay it forward. Local Veterans, Spouses, Widows, Ancestors, Lineal Descendants, and IU Army/Air Force Cadets : a 501(c)(19) VSO is established to help carry this project forward.

7-Investor Opportunities

Civpark is a land‑based program, not a remote or virtual initiative. Everything we do depends on physical acreage. Our mission is only possible because of the land itself: the ability to gather families in a real place.

Several small properties near the park are available, and with the right financial backing, they represent a rare chance to expand a working, mission‑driven campus. These parcels would increase lodging capacity, add ADA‑accessible facilities, create dedicated program zones, and strengthen the park’s long‑term viability.

For investors, this is a tangible‑asset opportunity:

  • Land acquisition that directly increases program capacity

  • Mission‑aligned capital with measurable social impact