November 1 is a sad but special day for Tina Kuhns, whose 12-year-old daughter Kelsey lost her fight with leukemia on November 1, 2005, after an eight-year battle. This year, Kelsey is being remembered by her sister Kylie, a fourth grader, and friends with a memorial day. Kylie is also spearheading an effort to build a playground in Kelsey’s honor at her school, Mifflinburg Intermediate School in Pennsylvania. The brand-new school doesn’t have a playground, and Kylie knew her sister would want one to be built.

“She would want me to stop complaining that there’s nothing to do at recess,” Kylie said. “Now if you try and do something fun you get in trouble.”

To celebrate Kelsey and raise money for the playground, Kylie is selling T-shirts printed with Kelsey’s “Cancer Crushers” drawing and wristbands that say “Touched by an Angel –Kelsey Kuhns.” Sales have been so brisk that Kylie has almost sold out of the 300 T-shirts, and her father is taking orders for more.

Tina said that they originally considered giving the donations to various organizations that do good work before deciding on the playground.

“Those are the right things to do, but we though, ‘What would Kelsey want us to do?’” Tina said. “The school was very supportive of building the playground in her memory. They’re going to have a custom sign with her photo and her teachers will write what the sign will say.”

Kelsey, like Kylie, was an outdoorsy girl who loved sports, nature, and riding four-wheelers and snowmobiles. Kylie has requested a rock climbing wall in memory of Kelsey.

“She thought they looked really cool when she saw them in a catalog,” Kylie said.

Kylie and some of Kelsey’s friends, now seventh graders, are working with the Mifflinburg Intermediate School principal on building the playground. Tina says they’re still planning the playground and timeline. If they’re able to begin building before the ground freezes, they may subcontract Playworld to install to save time, although that would cut into the funds for equipment. If the process continues through the spring, Tina coordinate a KaBOOM!-style community effort. To buy a T-shirt or bracelet, call Kylie at 570-966-4605.

With an immersive, high-tech world of video games, cartoons-on-demand, and online social networking at their fingertips, the youth of today are spending less time recreating in the great outdoors. The seesaws, swing sets, and jungle gyms languishing in the playgrounds of yesteryear can't compete for the attention of this budding, screen-wired generation.

But all hope is not lost, say some promising new minds in the resurging play equipment manufacturing industry. From high-end designers to proactive nonprofits, a variety of fresh voices in the field are working to give little Johnny compelling reasons to come out and play.

Coping with Hurricane Katrina is not child's play, but in order to cope, there must be places for children to play. That is why South Mississippians should be especially grateful for Darell Hammond's KaBOOM! organization and its Operation Playground: Rebuilding Playgrounds; Restoring Childhoods.

The new 603-acre Indian Camp Creek Park opened Thursday in St. Charles County within the Cuivre River watershed, according to the project's landscape architectural designer, SWT Design.

Webster Groves, Mo.-based SWT Design led the design of the eco-playground, which includes natural wood materials in place of steel components.

Congratulations to our Partner in Play, Playworld Systems, Inc., which has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania! Playworld Systems, our partner for equipment through June 2007, has won this honor five times in six years. This family-owned company out of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania is well known for its innovation, safety, service, and state-of-the-art products that meet a wide range of community needs.   

“We are truly honored to receive this award again,” said Playworld Systems CEO Dale Miller.  “We place a lot of value on our employees and we are glad those efforts have made a positive impact on our staff.”  

This year Playworld will be honored at a November awards ceremony at the Hershey Lodge & Convention Center, where the final rankings will be revealed. The Best Places to Work in PA program, created in 2000 in a public/private partnership of several Pennsylvania organizations, is one of the first state programs of its kind in the country. The survey and award program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Pennsylvania, benefiting the state's economy, its workforce and businesses. The program is made up of 100 companies split into two groups: 50 medium-sized companies (25-250 employees) and 50 large-sized companies (more than 250 employees). Playworld Systems competes in the larger of the two categories with 275 employees. Playworld Systems was previously recognized as one of the 100 Best Places to Work in 2005, 2004, 2003, and 2001.   

With more than 30 years experience, Playworld Systems is the commercial leader in customized play equipment that provides fun and challenging activities that increase mental and physical wellness. From ToddlerTown and RockBlocks to urban-friendly CityScapes, Playworld playgrounds are functional and fun!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                        Contact: Mory Fontanez, KaBOOM! 202.528.7724 mfontanez@kaboom.org

KaBOOM!  Introduces the First Nationwide Online Playspace Finder

Washington, D.C., October 12, 2006 – KaBOOM!, a national non-profit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America, unveiled the newest resource in play yesterday at the 2006 NRPA Conference – The KaBOOM! Playspace Finder.  The Playspace Finder is the first nationwide user-generated online directory of playspaces (including playgrounds, skate parks, fields and ice rinks) in the United States.  By utilizing reviews from the ultimate consumers of playspaces— including kids and families—the Finder will serve as an online marketplace of ideas about the location, condition, and “play value” of our nation’s parks. 

Located on the KaBOOM! website (www.kaboom.org), the Playspace Finder is an interactive tool that allows anyone to submit information and rate their local playspaces. The directory then gives other users the ability to locate, read reviews and add additional ratings for a playspace in any neighborhood in the country. The Playspace Finder includes the ability to add photos and comments for each playspace, as well as a detailed description of the playspace, including the playground equipment or amenities that surround the space.  

KaBOOM! developed the Playspace Finder in response to the lack of national resources in locating great places to play and to encourage active, unstructured outdoor play for children across the nation.

“Play is a vital component of a child’s life, contributing to their physical, emotional, mental and social development.  In light of our work and our vision, we felt it was our duty to provide a resource for locating great places to play.  However, the success of this project relies upon people across the country providing data and reviews about their parks.  So, get out to a park and play, but then come back and tell everyone about your experience—good or bad,” said Darell Hammond, CEO and Co-Founder of KaBOOM!.

To learn more about the Playspace Finder visit www.kaboom.org.

About KaBOOM!
Celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2006, KaBOOM! is a national nonprofit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America.  Over the past decade, KaBOOM! has used its innovative community-build model to bring together business and community interests to construct over 1,000 new playgrounds, skateparks, sports fields and ice rinks across North America.  KaBOOM! also offers a variety of resources, including a Web portal and online community, regional and national trainings, grants and publications for communities that wish to plan a new playspace on their own.  Headquartered in Washington, D.C., KaBOOM! also has offices in Chicago, Atlanta and San Mateo, Calif.   For more information, visit www.kaboom.org or call (202) 659-0215.

###