Resources for the Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2006
Contact: Sarah Potter, PR Coordinator (708)389-8137, ext.305
or Liz Mlcoch,
Director of Development, ext. 300
Blue Cap Plans New Playground Thanks to Grants
Children in wheelchairs can use the accessible equipment
Blue Cap staff and students are celebrating plans to build an accessible playground on the grounds of the Instructional Center. For more than two years the agency worked to secure the funding to build the facility. The final pieces of the puzzle are in place now that organizations and generous individuals have pledged their support to the project. Ronald McDonald Charities visited the playground site on Monday, September 25th for a check presentation of more than $15,000.
“Blue Cap’s work really mirrors our mission,” says Jill Sterling Director of Grants and Scholarships for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicago and NW Indiana. “The playground project is a special need and our mission is providing those critical and vital needs to support the well-being of children in Chicago.”
Ronald McDonald House Charities, Andrew Family Foundation, and long-time supporter Marguriet Bobb are the major donors making the playground possible. Other donors include Colonel Stanley R. McNeil Foundation, FireWorks for Kids Foundation, WNUA Cares for Kids Charities and Iron Warriors Motorcycle Club.
The playground project is important to Blue Cap students for many reasons. Currently, any time teachers want to take children in wheelchairs to a playground, they have to leave the school and walk about five blocks to Centennial Park. Every child in a wheelchair needs someone to push them all the way making the trek cumbersome. The new playground will be on the north side of the school in the gated area facing Broadway.
“We’ll be able to go to the playground more often when it’s on school grounds,” says Blue Cap High School Teacher Patti Kuehner. “There, students expand their physical skills and learn concepts like cause and effect through play.”
Research shows that recreation enhances children’s cognitive and motor skills, language development and social competence especially for children with developmental challenges. It is essential for children with developmental disabilities to have recreational opportunities to help them reach their highest potential.
“My student Samauria is just learning how to play with toys and manipulate her environment,” says Keuhner. “Activities like swinging on a swing or sliding down a slide are extremely beneficial providing her with lots of stimulation and interaction with her environment.”
Many of the children at the Instructional Center use wheelchairs or face other physical challenges, but their opportunities for outdoor play are often limited by the lack of accessible equipment. The new playground at Blue Cap will include adaptive swings in several sizes to accommodate children ages 3 to 21, including aluminum platform swings for those in wheelchairs. Swinging helps children develop stronger muscles and gross motor skills, and it can provide necessary vestibular stimulation, which helps improve balance, posture and coordination. The area will also include accessible in-ground tables and mini shelters for children who cannot handle long periods in the sun due to medical conditions.
Activity on a playground develops children’s physical and social skills helping them gain confidence and independence as they learn. Providing the playground is another way Blue Cap is accomplishing its mission; helping individuals with developmental disabilities achieve personal growth and dignity.
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