Mayor Shelly Carlson presented Jen Troska, vice chair of the Human Rights Commission, with March’s MoorHeart Award. (From left) Carlson, Troska and HRC chair Sihan Amedy. (Photo/Nancy Hanson.)

Jen Troska, an advocate for making Moorhead accessible for everyone, was presented with the March MoorHeart Award Monday by Mayor Shelly Carlson.
Troska’s contributions to establishing the city’s new Inclusive Playground near the Miracle Field in south Moorhead were cited in her nomination by Sihan Amedy, who chairs the Human Rights Commission. Troska, the mother of a young boy with special needs, learned of the Parks Department’s plan for an inclusive playground designed to meet the needs of all children when she moved here in 2014.
Nominating Troska, Amedy wrote, “Jen has been instrumental in making the visionof an inclusive playground a reality. Through her leadership, she has worked diligently on fund-raising initiative, demonstrating not only her dedication to the cause but also her ability to mobilize community support for important projects. Jen is a vocal advocate for children with special needs … taking actions to ensure that the voices of those often marginalized are heard and considered.”
Hampered by the pandemic, the original goal of raising $1 million for the playground near the Miracle Field at 2000 40th Ave. S. was cut back to $615,000. “I am happy to report that we are within $65,000 of our goal,” she told the council. The first phase of the playground is now in place, and children of all abilities will be welcomed this spring.
The MoorHeart Award honors members of the community “who are doing great things,” according to the website at www.cityofmoorhead.com. Nominations for future awards are welcome.