Protect Our Youth. Preserve Our Community. Keep Our Park.

To: Sumter County Board of County Commissioners and County Administration

We, the undersigned residents, parents, families, volunteers, and supporters of Sumter County, strongly oppose the proposed closure of Lake Panasoffkee Recreational Park and the potential loss of recreational opportunities for the children and families in our rural community.

We understand that county budget decisions and the passage of Amendment 3 may have created financial challenges. However, our children should not be penalized for decisions made by adults. Youth programs, recreational facilities, and community resources should not be among the first things sacrificed when difficult financial decisions must be made.

Lake Panasoffkee Recreational Park is more than just a park. It is a place where children learn teamwork, sportsmanship, discipline, responsibility, and the value of being part of a community. For organizations like Sumter County Youth Soccer Club (AYSO Region 1408), this facility provides an essential place for children to play, grow, build friendships, and create lasting memories.

It is deeply concerning that the county would consider closing a recreational facility that directly benefits local youth while continuing to prioritize other county facilities and services, including Animal Services. We recognize that Animal Services serves an important purpose, but we believe our children's recreational opportunities deserve that same thoughtful consideration and commitment.

A nonprofit youth organization may not generate millions of dollars in revenue like large-scale developments and commercial interests, such as The Villages Youth programs, but that does not make it's value any less significant. The return on investment in our children cannot be measured in millions of dollars. It is measured in healthier families, stronger communities, positive childhood experiences, and opportunities for the next generation.

Rural communities deserve investment, too. Our children should not have fewer opportunities simply because they live outside larger, more financially developed areas of the county. They deserve safe places to play, organized sports, recreational programs, and facilities that allow them to thrive.

WE ARE REQUESTING THAT SUMTER COUNTY:
1.)Reconsider the proposed closure of Lake Panasoffkee Recreational Park.
2.)Continue funding and support for recreational facilities and youth programs serving our rural communities.
3.)Explore alternative budget solutions that do not place the burden of financial decisions on our children and families.
4.)Recognize the long-term value of youth recreation and the important role these facilities play in building a stronger Sumter County.
OUR MESSAGE IS SIMPLE: OUR CHILDREN SHOULD NOT PAY THE PRICE FOR ADULT DECISIONS.

A community that invests in its children invests in its future. Please do not take away one of the few recreational opportunities available to the families of Lake Panasoffkee and surrounding rural communities.

We urge the Sumter County Board of County Commissioners to reconsider this decision, listen to the families and residents they represent, and make a commitment to keeping Lake Panasoffkee Recreational Park open.

KEEP LAKE PANASOFFKEE RECREATIONAL PARK OPEN!

Protect Our Youth. Preserve Our Community.

Our families support keeping Lake Panasoffkee Recreational Park open and request that Sumter County reconsider the proposed closure.