Supporting our children and healthy play

The first pieces were installed at a cost of $70,000, and fundraisers like parking at the Fair will help add more, including inclusive equipment for kids with special needs.

For 70 years, the local Kiwanis Club has helped local children. Its annual barbeque dinner supports The Butterfly Foundation, an organization that helps Middle Tennessee families who have critically ill children. Kiwanians are longtime partners with Ingram Sowell, where they provide food for a student pantry, help out with events like 100 Days of School celebrations, and recognize Terrific Kids at the school every Friday.

When you enjoy other Kiwanis projects like its pancake dinner, golf tournament, and Harlem Wizards events, you are helping the club continue this good work. The same is true for events sponsored by other civic and church groups in Lawrence County, like the Fair.

The Middle Tennessee District Fair serves as a major fundraiser for many groups that do good work in our community all year long. So go to the Fair, enjoy yourself, and support local causes.

While we’re speaking of playgrounds and community support, I also want to celebrate the opening of the first Abigail’s Playground in our county. Private donations and fundraising efforts collected over $298,000 to create this all-inclusive playground at Summertown Elementary. It was a partnership between the Summertown community (led by Erin George and Ricky Mabry) and Abigail’s Plan. It will be used as a template to build other Abigail’s Playgrounds in Loretto and Lawrenceburg.

All-inclusive playgrounds give children with special needs the ability to play alongside all their peers. Play is crucial to the healthy development of all children, another reason efforts to improve and expand playgrounds are so important.