Back in September, our neighborhood celebrated a Play Day inspired by KaBOOM’s national campaign for play. I’m a huge fan of this national non-profit and was even recognized as Playmaker of the Month last December. Their mission is “a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America.”
We did our Play Day for fun, but we were only one of a thousand who participated this year. Many towns and organizations took on service projects and actually worked hard to improve their communities and compete for grant money. I want to share the story of the winners passed on to me from KaBOOM!:
“Two schools in communities with approximately 2,000 people managed to garner more than 167,000 votes in an online competition to win a $10,000 playground grant from national play non-profit KaBOOM! and NFL PLAY 60. Schools in Ontonagon, Michigan and Brusly, Louisiana both beat out much larger communities by activating passionate online networks and rallying people across the country and around the world to vote for them.
Ontonagon is a town on Michigan’s upper peninsula with just over 1,500 people. In the 1990s the local copper mine and the shipyard closed down and the community has been losing businesses and jobs ever since. This year, the local paper mill and nursing home shuttered, sending the town’s unemployment rate up to 16.20 percent, and sending residents elsewhere for work.
Brusly is right next door to Baton Rouge, many of this small town’s residents work at the DOW chemical plant in West Baton Rouge. More than half of the school’s population receives free or reduced price lunch, so money is clearly tight.
Because of this amazing outpouring of support, both Brusly and Ontonagon will receive a $10,000 grant for playground improvements courtesy of KaBOOM! and NFL PLAY 60. Ontonagon has recently had to consolidate its elementary, middle schools into the high-school building, and will put their money towards a new playground for the kids. Brusly’s grant will be used to build a playground that will help their kids get active and healthy.”
Congratulations!
Read more about the winners and start planning for your own Play Day in September 2010.
