I read somewhere, once, that children, through unstructured play, can create and explore thru a world they can master. When given an ideal environment they can obtain confidence in their abilities by conquering obstacles and begin their skills with other kids their age for self advocacy, sharing, resolving conflict and negotiating. I'm personally proud to be part of this non-profit organization bringing the opportunity of these abilities and skills to all children. My family looks much like a lot of families in this community. We have one child with a physical limitation and three without limitations. We want to see all of them playing in one place with peers their age. Project Dream Play will consider the design with the needs of all children and create a place for each of them. My desire is to bring volunteers together and create a unified effort. The fundraising events planned will benefit Willow Creek Station by inclusivity by all members of this community.

Project Dream Play became a passion of mine when I became a part of the Eagle Mountain Saginaw community! Being a teacher, I know firsthand that it is very important for all children to interact and play together in a setting that accommodates all. I am very excited to see this playground bring more joy and friendships to the children and families of our community.

I was inspired to co-found Project Dream Play by my children, one of whom is in a wheelchair. My initial desire was to have a playground where my children could easily play together, since there are no accessible playgrounds in this area of the county. Quickly my desire turned into a broader vision as I watched her interact with other children as we went about town. Observing other children’s reactions to our daughter’s wheelchair helped me realize that there is so much they can learn from each other, if given the opportunity to interact in a natural play setting. The more children interact, the less they see each others’ differences and the more open their minds become to seeing each other as just another kid. It is my hope that this play space will not only provide a place where all children can play together, but also where they can learn from each other so that social barriers can be removed.

I am a teacher at Willow Creek Elementary and have lived in the area for 11 years. I have three crazy huskies. One of my missions in life is to serve others. As a board member of Project Dream Play, I serve my Willow Creek students and their community. I became involved in the organization first by donating in its early stages at community functions. My hope is that we can build this playground so that all our community can enjoy.