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Welcome to Boston – now build a playground!

Posted by KaBOOM! on November 30, 2011
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“It was my first week in Boston - orientation week for new students at Boston University. As part of our schedules for the week I signed up for a child-focused service project and couldn’t help but gulp when I saw our assignment – build a new playground – in one day.

Needless to say, I was incredulous. I had NO idea how to build a playground, I wasn’t strong enough to lift anything very heavy, it was going to be an incredibly hot day, and how could we possibly build an entire playground in just one day?

But, thanks to KaBOOM!, it was exactly the opposite of what I had been afraid of. I was amazed at the diversity of people, so many of them as doubtful as I was, who came together to work as a unified force.

We came together as one, not because we knew anything about playgrounds, mulch, or mixing concrete, but because we all had the same goal – to build a great new place to play. We struggled together, worked as a team, and in just 6 hours time we watched as the kids ran out to see their new, shiny, beautiful playground. What an amazing day!”

 – Genevieve Fasano, Boston, MA

KaBOOM! helps volunteers like Genevieve discover the power of community.

Play it forward to help more volunteers discover the power of teamwork.

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Playgrounds sprout growth

Posted by KaBOOM! on November 29, 2011
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“I have been fighting against a rising tide of needs in the Spring Valley neighborhood of San Diego for over two decades, always just barely keeping my head above water. For so many years Spring Valley has been defined by what it lacks, not by what it has.

We have an incredibly rich culture with people from every walk of life and background, but what everyone outside saw was an unsafe and transient community. Every year 25% of our school population moved – Spring Valley was an epicenter of foreclosures in 2008 and 2009. As a former juvenile probation officer I know you needed to invest in people early, and that just wasn’t happening.

Then, in February of this year, I was thrilled to help bring about the physical manifestation of the change my community needed. KaBOOM! built a bright, colorful, gorgeous new playground at the Spring Valley Community Center with a walking trail and a community garden.

Thanks to the efforts of a local city council member (who was inspired by the playground project) large green soccer fields now extend behind the playground. Those community gardens, built back in February, are now home to a regional garden education center, where I discovered the green thumb I never knew I had. These gardens have not only grown plants, they’ve grown community.”

– Barbara Warner, Spring Valley, CA

Barbara knows that where you live says a lot about who you are, and her community is now a place where people want to invest and spend time in.

Play it forward to help grow other communities across the country.

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It started with a playground committee

Posted by KaBOOM! on November 28, 2011
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"In the beginning I was just a mom who didn’t want her kids to have to go to a school without a playground.

Our current playground had been built 50 years ago, and did not meet current safety standards – it was due to be removed. The district didn’t have the money to replace it, and if our local PTA couldn’t raise the funds, there would be no playground. What’s a mom of two boys to do? Volunteer to lead the playground committee, of course.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I volunteered. I didn’t know about the costs of equipment, safety standards, special wood chips, or working with cities and school districts. All I knew is that we needed a new playground, and fast. I did my homework and we needed to raise $100,000 for our new playground. That’s a pretty big goal for a school with a 50% free and reduced school lunch rate.

That’s when I found KaBOOM!. Their website took me step by step through the playground build process. I got great fund raising ideas, and fell in love with the community build model. We could save money and come together as a community.

Within a year, we had the funding for the majority of our playground build. The community build was an experience I’ll never forget. We had school family members, community members, and even the Mayor at our build!

Thanks to the build, the city became more and more interested in the cause of play. We have been a Playful City USA for the past two years. I help the city with the Playful City application each year, and am part of the play committee for the City of Kenmore. I’m excited that our city values the health and happiness of our youngest residents and understands the importance of play. The city is leading its first community build this spring.

Now I help out other schools in the area when they start a playground project. I am passionate about helping in any way I can to ensure all kids have a safe playspace that they can walk to and enjoy with family and friends."

– Stacey Denuski, Kenmore, WA

Stacey saw a need in her community and she addressed it. Along the way she found the resources and tools she needed from KaBOOM!.

Play it forward so we can keep providing tools and resources to future playground committee chairs, and everyone else looking to make a difference.

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Music, arts, crafts, hula hoops, balls and bubbles to map play

Posted by KaBOOM! on November 27, 2011
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"I didn’t know a single person when I moved to Takoma Park, Maryland just over two years ago. But, luckily one of my neighbors turned out to be Pat Rumbaugh, a true force of nature and play advocate for our entire community. She talked me into joining her Takoma Plays! group and I haven’t looked back since.

This past summer I was excited to lead a new project – traveling playgrounds – based on something we used to do in Massachusetts. For 5 weeks, twice a week, we held a playgroup in a different Takoma Park playground. We had music, arts and crafts activities, hula hoops, balls, bubbles, you name it. We provided a fun, free service to our community, and by taking surveys of each playground, got invaluable feedback from residents. We took that feedback and added it to the KaBOOM! Map of Play and now citizens of Takoma Park can find out where the best playgrounds are, and even more importantly, KaBOOM! can see where there aren’t any playgrounds.

When I'm tired, and have a load of laundry to do, and dinner to make, and have zero energy, I know that taking the kids to the park for an hour will rejuvenate me. I believe that communities in which people know each other, interact with each other, and play with each other are safer, healthier, and happier. That’s what keeps me going!"

– Mary Hanisco, Takoma Park, MD

Mary found that play not only helps kids build relationships, but that it’s just as important for adults.

Play it forward with a donation today, and in honor of Mary, get out and play with your kids today!

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Playgrounds aren't just for kids

Posted by KaBOOM! on November 25, 2011
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"I could build a playground every day! When you build a KaBOOM! playground, you feel like part of the community, you meet interesting people and you all come together for a great cause.

At my last build, I had the opportunity to work with volunteers from a senior center. They were so excited to be there, and sometimes it’s just about feeling needed. Even though they were helping out the kids, KaBOOM! was really helping them feel needed again.

The positive impact was twofold and multigenerational, changing the lives of the volunteers and the children who would soon be playing on the playground they built."

– Gina Lazo, Coral Gables, FL

Gina has built 2 playgrounds with KaBOOM!, so far, and knows how important it is to get kids outside playing and away from computers and video games.

Play it forward with a donation today so we can keep engaging great community volunteers like Gina.

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Building a great place to play in Indianapolis

Posted by KaBOOM! on November 24, 2011
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On May 20th, KaBOOM!, Meredith Nicholson Indiana Public School 96, Clarian Health and IU Health built a great new place to play in Indianapolis. In the first week the kids were able to use the playground there were zero discipline issues- which was unheard of!

The children are incredibly active. They love the playground and are playing non-stop. Some local high school students came to help from different schools. One of the students had gone through IPS 96 and he kept talking about how much he wished he had that playground when he was younger. The high schoolers feel great ownership over the project, and are excited to bring their younger siblings to the park. In addition, people that were helping the school for the first time at the build are looking to continue to volunteer at IPS 96.

Play it forward with a donation today so we can keep making a difference in communities like Indianapolis.

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Play Matters

Posted by KaBOOM! on November 23, 2011
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"We worked on a build in Rockford through the Rockford Park District and MetLife. We have also helped on builds at nearby sites. The change in a neighborhood - the ownership of all ages to build, use and protect their new playground is incredible to see!

I loved every minute of being involved in our May 2010 build and have visited the site several times just to see the happy kids. Thanks to KaBOOM! I am much better informed about the importance of play and have used the planning tools to help plan other events as well. Thanks much!"

– Dave and Judy Roby, Rockford, IL

 

Play it forward with a donation if you agree with Dave & Judy that play is important!

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It started with a playground

Posted by KaBOOM! on November 22, 2011
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“I’m the Principal at Pecan Park Elementary School in Jackson, Mississippi. Mississippi has the highest obesity rate in the country, and every day I look at my students and know that if nothing is done they will literally grow into those statistics. I looked around at my urban, inner city school, with its transient population. Most people saw it as a less than ideal place for a wellness revolution. I disagreed.

For me, it really did start with a playground. In May of 2006 we built our fantastic new KaBOOM! playground, but that was just the beginning. The playground spawned a walking trail around it for students and adults, which inspired 7 cardio stations that popped up along the trail, which leveraged a grant for fresh fruit & vegetable snacks for every kid during the school year.

This year we’ll add a winter and spring garden to the school, and thanks to local community support, our parents have free access to a local gym and trainers come to the school 3 times a week to work with teachers and other school employees. I’m happy to say that since 2006 I’ve literally seen a physical change in my community, and I’m not going to stop now.”

– Wanda Quon, Jackson, MS

Wanda has created a whole new mindset at her school and in her community. It started with a dream, it started with KaBOOM!

Play it forward and help us keep inspiring leaders like Wanda across the country.

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