By Meagan Ginnaty-Moore, staff writer
I’ve never realized the pure happiness a swing can bring to a child until I saw a wheelchair-bound girl, Amity, swing for the first time in a wheelchair accessible swing at the Kenosha Dream Playground. Amity had a huge smile on her face as the wind rushed through her hair and everyone around her cheered, their weeks of volunteering coming to this moment. Amity’s first swing.
The Dream Playground Project is a fully inclusive playground for people of all ages and abilities. Tammy Conforti started this project three years ago when she saw one of her students, Amity, sit on the sidelines at recess because of her wheelchair. Conforti went to the Kenosha City Council asking permission to start fundraising $1 million to build a handicapped accessible playground after finding out Kenosha didn’t have one.
Volunteers drove the project. Thousands of people, all ranging from the young to the elderly, rallied to the cause from all over the states of Wisconsin and Illinois. Kenosha County citizens and local businesses gave money. Volunteers built the the playground with tools donated by companies like Snap-on.
This project has brought people from all walks life together. On my first day volunteering, I met a semi-retired man who ran his own business but also volunteered any time he could, dozens of high schoolers hoping to get community service hours, and working men and women volunteering during their lunch hours or taking the day off to build this playground. Each and every one of them
coming from different backgrounds, with different beliefs and opinions, but all volunteering for one reason — because they want kids to have a childhood filled with memories of playing on a playground.
“I think this will help children with disabilities feel like they can fit in better with children that don’t have disabilities…I think this has helped the people of the community build the playground because we’re all coming together to build it,” said Katie Pollock, a Tremper High School junior.
“The best part is seeing people walk off the site after an all day shift with a smile and then coming back the next day to do it all over again,” said Katie Briggs, an Indian Trail special needs teacher.
She feels overwhelmed by the amount of support the community is providing for this project.
I volunteered for this project because I needed hours for my community service for school, but after seeing the playground and the reaction Amity had when she swung on the swing, I felt very humbled to be a part of this project. You have to check your privilege moment, when you realize that their childhood won’t have memories of swinging as high as you can or sliding down the slide with your friends unless there is a playground like the Kenosha Dream Playground. I am so thankful to have been a part of this project and for all the good it will do for families all over the Kenosha area.