Special needs playground update

By Staff
Bob Francis, Chairman, Hartselle Development Board
I hope by now you have heard of the project to build a Morgan County Special Needs Accessible Playground (SNAP) in Hartselle. The playground, which will serve more than 1700 physically challenged children in Morgan County, will be constructed at the rear of the Sparkman Civic Center, east of the swimming pool and north of Ruben Sims Field.
Hartselle Civitan Club initiated a limited-scope special needs project in 2002. In late 2006, Civitan was joined by the Hartselle Kiwanis, Lions and Rotary Clubs in a united effort, with support from the City of Hartselle, to bring the project to reality. Shortly after organizing this coalition of clubs, research revealed the overwhelming need in the entire county, and the organization was expanded to include Hartselle Medical Center, Morgan County Association of Volunteer Firemen, United Way, Volunteer Center of Morgan County and Wal-Mart. This expanded coalition is known as the “Founding Partners.” The scope of the project was expanded to serve all special needs children in the county, and it has been so named “Morgan County Special Needs Accessible Playground in Hartselle.” It is being designed as the premier “boundless” playground in the state and should stimulate others across the state, the southeast and even the nation to recognize and serve the needs of these special children.
Our implementing organization is functionally aligned: (1) Overall Project Management, (2) Marketing, (3) Fund Raising, (4) Publicity, (5) Special Events and (6) Construction. Each functional element is staffed with knowledgeable, capable and dedicated volunteers.
A detailed schedule serves to measure progress and apply corrective action as may be required. Professional marketing and design firms have been engaged to enhance success.
I invite and encourage you to visit our web site, www.snapplayground.org or call or e-mail me, 256-773-6325, auusmeagle@aol.com, to learn more or ask questions. Please keep in mind that the web site is still under development and refinement. However, the presentation therein is complete and sets the tone of the project.
The SNAP project is driven by inspiration.
During more than 30 years of professional project and construction management at Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA, I was exposed to many technically interesting, complex and challenging projects. However, none of these projects created the personal, heart-felt involvement as does SNAP. It captivates me emotionally as it has all others involved.
In developing the overall strategy to market the project, we searched for an inspirational experience to provide focus for the SNAP organization as well as to gain public support. We quickly realized that one within our organization, Charles Howse, was living such an experience. Charles` four-year old twin grandsons were born with muscular dystrophy and are confined to wheel chairs. If you visit the web site, you will be able to view a compelling video which was developed around these two precious children. This video tells our inspirational story.
An inherent goal of the project is to assure that special needs children are provided an environment not only to play but to mix with other children and, in so doing, feel accepted rather than isolated and different. The following as told by Shay`s father, Mark Griffin, former executive director of the Arc of Morgan County, dramatically illustrates this point.
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the school`s students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all that attended.
After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: “Everything God does is done with perfection. Yet, my son Shay cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is God`s plan reflected in my son?”
The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. “I believe,” the father answered, “that when God brings a child like Shay into the world, an opportunity to realize the Divine Plan presents itself and it comes in the way people treat that child.”
Then he told the following story:
Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, “Do you think they will let me play?” Shay`s father knew that the boys would not want him on their team. But the father understood that if his son were allowed to play it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging. Shays father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance from his teammates. Getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said, “We are losing by six runs, and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we’ll try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning.”
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay`s team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. At the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the outfield. Although no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay’s team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base. Shay was scheduled to be the next at bat. Would the team actually let Shay bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn’teven know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact.
The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly toward Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung and hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have ended the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball on a high arc to right field, far beyond reach of the first baseman. Everyone started yelling, “Shay, run to first, run to first.” Never in his life had Shay ever made it to first base. He scampered down the first baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled,” run to second, run to second!” By the time Shay was rounding first base, the right fielder had the ball.
He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman for a tag. But the right fielder understood what the pitcher`s intentions had been, so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman`s head. Shay ran towards second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases toward home. As Shay reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, “run to third!” As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams were screaming, “Shay run home!” Shay ran home, stepped on home plate and was cheered as a hero for hitting a “grand slam” and winning the game for his team.
It seems likely that everyone at that park won on that day and Shay felt needed and accepted. SNAP needs your support to enable 1700 special needs children in Morgan County to experience this feeling. I sincerely believe that all who contribute to the success of SNAP will be rewarded by these children`s joy and feeling of self worth.
I share with you comments which I conveyed to the 24 volunteer individuals in the SNAP organization who have tirelessly, for six months, dedicated their time, talent and energy to make this playground a reality. These comments resulted from our initial viewing on April 24 of a preliminary video which has now been finalized and is available on the SNAP web site for your viewing.
As I reflect on events leading us to this point, I cherish my association with each of you and the group comradeship that has evolved. Each has played a vital role in bringing the project toward maturity. In abstract, I picture our individual faces fading and being replaced by those of smiling and happy children, made possible by sacrifice of your time, talent and energy. Surely, God also smiles and blesses these efforts.
Thank you for joining hearts and hands in this worthy venture.”
Now, I ask each of you in Morgan County to join hearts and hands with us to make this playground a reality and help us to fulfill the SNAP motto, “Because Every Child Should Have A Playground.”