By Joe Jarosz
Northeast News
October 15, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – This Saturday, after the neighborhood builds it, people will come.

On Saturday, Oct. 18, the Scarritt Renaissance Neighborhood Association, Kansas City Parks and Recreation, Humana Inc., KaBOOM! and area volunteers will gather at 6 a.m. at the Concourse to build a new multigenerational playground in one day. Weather permitting, a ribbon-cutting will be held once the build is complete. The park will host around 200-250 volunteers with supplies arriving just days before the build begins. The park features traditional kid-friendly equipment as well as walking paths and fitness stations designed for adults.

Amanda Stinger, chair for the playground committee and board member on the Scarritt Renaissance Neighborhood Association, said “we absolutely can still take volunteers.” All volunteers need to register at www.scarrittkc.org/playground.

“Registration is required for nametags, T-shirts, and head count for food and beverage,” Stinger said.

Leslie Caplan, president of the Scarritt Renaissance Neighborhood Association, added that if any volunteers live within walking distance, “it would be very helpful for them to walk as parking will be at a premium since the homes tour online sales have been extraordinary this year, indicating a huge number of visitors to the neighborhood.”

Earlier this summer, the neighborhood association was awarded a KaBOOM! grant. KaBoom! is a national non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all kids get a childhood filled with the balanced and active play needed to thrive. With the grant, the park receives a playground designed by the community, three different pieces of adult workout equipment and a mulch surfacing.

The customized playground will be funded primarily by Humana, a leading health care company, and will be created with input from local community members – from children to seniors – collected during a recent design day. The project is one of more than 50 playgrounds being built by Humana, the Humana Foundation, and KaBOOM! across the U.S. over four years.

In a press release, Kathleen Faulk, regional president of senior products with Humana Inc., said these playgrounds make a significant difference to the neighborhoods they serve.

“Thank you to everyone in Kansas City who will be working with us on Saturday, rain or shine, to build a playground and build health for kids and adults,” Faulk said.