New Philadelphia Rotary Club members are seeking donations to help preserve and maintain Tuscora Park's popular Storybook Lane Christmas display. (New Philadelphia Rotary Club) 

NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) - The New Philadelphia Rotary Club is again asking for financial assistance to keep a holiday tradition going. 

Club member Tom Police says they need donors to help with maintenance costs for the Storybook Lane nursery rhyme character display boards that go up at Tuscora Park ahead of Christmas. Police says people can help by sponsoring a verse board, which costs $300 for a three-year period, or for $100 they can get their name and message on the Friends of Storybook Lane board through 2021.

“We have been very, very fortunate in the community support over the years. Many people renew every three years, and then hopefully by messages like this we can get new sponsors and new Friends of Storybook Lane to help us out,” he says.

Police says the rotary invests between $5,000 and $10,000 annually on the Storybook Lane boards, which began 64 years ago.

“A lot of the original displays, we’re still using the same mechanics that were put in but they’re wearing out. We have to replace bushings and bearings and lots of motors. We seem to go through a lot of motors every year,” he says.

Police says people can donate by contacting the rotary. Forms are available at newphiladelphiarotary.com. The deadline to get your name or message on this year’s boards is November 22nd.

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