Embargo for Release:             February 24, 2009
For more information, contact:

Addy M Kujawa, AAOS:  C: 224-374-8609; kujawa@aaos.org

Volunteers Build Dream Playground for
North Las Vegas Children
6,000 square feet in just one day

Watch the YouTube video!

NORTH LAS VEGAS ’Äì Every child deserves a great place to play and the children of North Las Vegas will receive just that ’Äì a playground built from the hard work of caring volunteers.

On Tuesday, February 24, 2009, hundreds of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’Äô members and their families, community volunteers, orthopaedic nurses and Academy industry partners and related organizations are gathering from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Nevada Partners (710 West Lake Mead) to build a playground in a single day so the area children ’Äì with and without disabilities ’Äì can play together in a safe, accessible environment. 

The new 6,000-square-foot playground is sponsored by the Academy ’Äì in partnership with Nevada Partners, Communities In Schools, Family to Family Connection and KaBOOM!, a national non-profit that helps communities build playgrounds. This is the first playground in the community that is fully accessible to children with physical disabilities.

Features of the new playground:

• Rubberized surfaces
• Wheelchair accessible ramps
• ’ÄúTot lot’Äù for children ages 2-5
• Larger play structure for children ages 5-12
• Safety sign in Braille
• Extensive amount of slides and play components
• Climbing and balancing activities
• Sign language board

Quotes:
’ÄúProviding a safe playground where kids with and without disabilities can play together gives us the opportunity to prevent, not just treat, injuries,’Äù explained Fred Redfern, MD, Henderson orthopaedic surgeon.

’ÄúThe playground, as part of the Child Care Cooperative, will help the community overcome a significant barrier to self-sufficiency,’Äù said Steven Horsford, President of the Board of Nevada Partners. ’ÄúOur clients and students will be able to focus on getting the education and training they need, knowing that their children are playing in a safe and enriching environment.’Äù

’ÄúWe can feed, clothe and provide shelter for a child, but if he does not have joy, then we have not helped him,’Äù State Director of Communities In Schools, Louise Helton, said. ’ÄúThis playground will provide that vital element that has been missing; a safe place for these children to play and just be kids.’Äù

Tips to minimize and prevent playground injuries:
Playground Safety Information

Playground Safety: Tips for Kids

Playground partners:
About AAOS

Nevada Partners, INC.

Communities In Schools of Southern Nevada

Family to Family Connection, Las Vegas West