Let there be a playground...

This was truly one of the most efficient, productive endeavors that I have ever witnessed/participated in. At 8:30am, there was nothing but a gravel parking lot, with several intimidatingly large piles of dirt, wood chips, and sod.

With the help and expert direction of over 100 Home Depot and Kaboom coordinators and volunteers, the nothingness soon began to take shape. There were drinks, food, music, encouragement, and an overall sense of anticipation that seemed to fuel everyone's work ethic and spirit. By the appointed completion time of 2:30, the playground had long been finished, complete with adult and kid-sized picnic tables, large hand-painted chess boards, a mini stage, and plenty of newly painted artwork.

As we all stood back and admired the work of many diligent, willing hands, it was quite impressive to see what had been accomplished and to think of the positive impact this would have on the area. The day was finally concluded with a board-cutting ceremony that highlighted some of our young friends from the YWCA House who would enjoy the new playground. I would encourage you to drive by (1st Ave and 59th St N) to see this new neighborhood resource and find ways to build relationships with the locals through this awesome facility!

Woodlawn is getting a Community Playground!

This Thursday, Nov 5th, there is a very exciting community event going on in Woodlawn! The YWCA is partnering with a nonprofit called KABOOM! to build a brand new community playground. KABOOM is associated with the Home Depot Foundation, and they work to build up communities by joining local businesses, organizations, and individuals to construct new playgrounds, skateparks, sports fields, and ice rinks across the US. The Home Depot Foundation has contributed $61,000, and YWCA has added another $7,500 for the creation of a new playground in the community of Woodlawn.

As part of the process, individuals and groups from the community have been highly involved in the planning and designing of the playground, and now, we all have an opportunity to be a part of the actual construction! The goal is to get somewhere between 150-200 people from the community to come help and invest in what will hopefully become an incredible asset to the community. The playground will be built at the site of the new YWCA Interfaith Hospitality House (the address is 5916 1st Ave. N. Birmingham, AL 35212). It will start at 8:30am, and the board cutting ceremony will take place at 2:30pm. If anyone is able to either come by and help for any amount of time, or just observe for a moment, please feel free to come join us!