Cancer Memorial Park

05/19/2026

GOOD NEWS!!! The Bowling Green Board of Alderman voted unanimously last night to donate the lot at 16 S Court St to the Cancer Memorial Park Foundation. It is the lot next to the MASH store and practically across the street from the back entrance to the current location of the cancer park. The cancer park board meets on May 28th to vote on finalizing the transaction. The only expense to the cancer park will be the cost of recording the deed!

There are many pluses to this location. It's near the square. The lot is 42.5 X 120 which is larger than our current location. It is an open lot with no demolition required that we know of at this point. It's so close to the current park that the pavers may be carried from one park to the other without need of heavy equipment. And, it was donated!

We want to thank Mayor Tom Thompson for suggesting that something be done for the cancer park. This is amazing because it was his very first meeting as mayor. We thank the board of alderman for their generous response and donation of this land. (When the vote more than one alderman spoke up to second the motion) We thank the 22 people who shared my last post on May 1st. By doing so the Mayor was given the opportunity to read it. We thank Linda Luebrecht for all her efforts to see this through. And last but not least thanks and praise be to God from whom all blessings flow!

We have a lot of work to do now to plan the park and raise funds to complete the construction. Please share this post so others know the good news. Please visit this site often for upcoming information.

Thank you all for your patronage and all your support in the past and the support you will provide in the coming months. Please pray for all those who have lost loved ones to cancer. Please keep those fighting cancer in your prayers. Please pray for all the cancer park efforts coming up. So much to do now....... Thank you!!!

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05/01/2026

I don't know where to begin because it has been a while since I've posted and so much has gone on. As you know, the City of Bowling Green Board of Alderman closed the park last September due to the deterioration of the old Dos Primos building. I want to you to know that we consider this a temporary situation. We cannot remain in the space we are in now. It's just not feasible. Many have asked me if we were going to fix the wall. We were told if we spent 100,000 it wouldn't last 10 to 20 years plus the fact that we don't own it. Our only recourse is to move. I have consulted a mason who tells me almost everything in the park can be moved. All the pavers in the floor are set in sand. The Jesus statue can be disassembled and put back together. We can move all the memorials purchased to date.

Since September we have been searching for a new location. We have not been successful yet but are still looking. We still have possibilities to research. The Cancer Park Memorial Foundation board wants to keep the park near the square so that has been our challenge. There hasn't been anything for sale in the area so I've been cold calling businesses and individuals to see if they would consider selling or donating properties to us. Property prices have really gone up so this is asking a lot but we are still hopeful. There is no doubt that we will need to raise funds to make this move. I have not started to do so yet because I want you to know exactly what the money is going for when you donate. I plan to have a location designated and a construction and moving plan in place so we know exactly how much money we need.

We appreciate your patience and prayers. I knew this wasn't going to be easy and it hasn't been. All good things are worth waiting for, right? If you have information on properties around the square that could be available I'd appreciate a private message. Thanks for reading and please share. Karen Daffron

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09/17/2025

Park reopening update:

The Cancer Memorial Park Foundation board met on August 28th to begin exploring the options to reopen the park. This was the first meeting since we learned that the park was closed by the city on Tuesday, August 19th. (In case you didn't read our previous post, the City of Bowling Green board of aldermen closed the park due to the severe deterioration of the east wall.) At the CMPF board meeting on the 28th, we agreed that we would like to keep the park near the square and would like to retain our relationship with the City of Bowling Green. The CMPF board passed a resolution to ask the city if they would consider giving us the lot on the SW corner of the square next to the Court Annex building.

Our request to occupy the SW corner of the square was discussed on Monday, September 8th, in an executive session of the board of alderman. It was apparent that the city will not work with us to provide a new location for the park. With this knowledge we will begin to search for a property near the square that we can purchase or that might be donated.

You may be wondering why we don't repair the wall and stay. Believe me when I say that would be our preference. However there is a very high estimated cost to repair the wall, over $100,000, and the structural engineer the city hired to inspect the wall said that even with these expensive repairs the wall might only last 10 to 20 years.

The cancer park board is determined to open again. We want to create a new park that is just as beautiful, bringing every paver in the floor and every memorial to the new location. This will take time and money, but we will get it done.

Please keep us in your prayers as we keep all of you in ours.

We thank you for your patience as we sift through the possibilities!
Karen Daffron, Chair
Cancer Memorial Park Foundation

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08/22/2025

I want to clear the air on the reasoning behind the closure of the park. The east wall of the park, by the old Dos Primos building has severely deteriorated. It's really pretty simple. The building is over 100 old and the brick on the east wall was never meant to be an exterior wall. It was the interior wall, of the Healthway Dairy before the fire in the 1990s. The interior walls in those days were made of unbaked, soft brick. It has since been exposed to fire, wind, rain and snow for 30+ years and showing the wear. So much has transpired over the years that who can place blame on any one person or entity.

The goal now is to move forward and reopen the park, which the cancer park board is setting out to do. We meet next Thursday to begin discussing our options. This news is only 4 days old and we already know that this is no small task and all options take time and money.

The paver and bench sales will remain open and donations are being accepted. No amount is too small or too large. All are appreciated!! God bless you and keep us in your prayers as we pray for all of you touched by cancer.

Here is the link to the Zeffy page to make a donation or purchase a paver/bench:

The Cancer Memorial Park Foundation is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization registered in the state of Missouri. Our mission is to honor those who have lost the fight with cancer and support those currently in the fight. The park floor is lined with bricks to be sold and engraved with messages or na...

08/21/2025

We are heartbroken to report to you that the City of Bowling Green chose to temporarily close the Cancer Memorial Park at the Board of Alderman meeting this past Monday night. The gates are already locked. We were not consulted before the decision was made that night, and we were shocked to hear the news.

Please keep us in your prayers as we process this news and make decisions for the future. It will take time and money but we fully intend to open the park again!

We will share more information as soon as we can. Thank you for your continued support! 🙏🙏🙏

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06/02/2025

We had a beautiful evening last night for our annual service! There was a nice crowd who loved to sing! We thank all those who attended and all those who listened live on FB. We thank Leetha Ingram for her inspirational singing and leading us in song. We thank Kevin and Rhonda Stumbaugh, from the Church of the Nazarene, for setting up the sound system and providing the keyboard and music stands, etc. It is much appreciated. Thank you to Robie and Mel Orf, Carolyn Rathburn and Patty Fischer for donating your time to park maintenance. Thank you to Jane Gartman for bringing back the relay for life and bringing the relay information. Thank you to our wonderful speakers: Tracy Calvin and Barbara Scherder-Goetz who gave hopeful, inspiring talks! Thank you to Jim Arico who offered prayers for the sick and prayes for those mourning. Thank you to Bouquet Florist for donating an arrangement of carnations. Thank you to the cancer park board members, Alice Charlton and Debbie Scherder, for all your help Thank you to Our Father in heaven who always provides!

God's peace and healing to all those touched by cancer. You are always in our prayers. The video of last night's service is posted on our FB page. Please watch, like and share the post. Thank you!

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05/22/2025

I just wanted to share some recent pictures from the park. The spring flowers are beautiful this year. Thank you Lord for the rain!

I hope the roses are still in bloom for the memorial service on June 1st at 6:30 pm to remember our loved ones. See our previous post for details.

05/22/2025

The Cancer Memorial Park annual memorial service will be held on June 1st at 6:30 p.m. in the cancer park on the square in Bowling Green. Our survivor speaker this year will be Tracy Calvin and Barbara Scherder-Goetz will tell us about her husband, Steven's, cancer journey. Letha Ingram will lead us in song and the names of all those remembered with a memorial in the park will be read. Come a few minutes early to give us the names of your loved one if you have not purchased a memorial for them. We want to remember and honor everyone who has had cancer.

The weather forecast is great for that evening so I hope to see a good crowd. Bring your a lawn chair if you like and be ready to sing! All are welcome. Please like and share this post to spread the word. See you there!

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03/18/2025

TIME TO ORDER!!! The weather is warming and spring is just around the corner. We will soon be cleaning up the park, planting annuals and turning on the fountain. It's also time to order pavers for a spring installation. If you place an paver order by March 30th the paver will be installed this spring. The next window of opportunity is in October so place your orders today! This is also a good time to order a planter bench. The benches will be engraved before Memorial Day. Please take advantage of this time to honor your loved ones! As always, we thank you for your patronage and may God bless you and bring you comfort!❤️❤️❤️🙏

You can order by mail by picking up an order blank from the brochure holder on the front window of the Bouquet Florist in Bowling Green, MO or from the mailbox in the back of the park. For information or to have an order blank mailed to you please call 573-470-1181.

You can order online using this link: https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/fc347e2c-edbe-498b-95aa-0fabf6e3f472

Or this QR code:

09/14/2024

The cancer park booth is ready to go at Heritage Days in Bowling Green. We are on the south side of the square. Order blanks are available. Stop in to see us!