WoodmenLife Helps Build Inclusive Playground for All Kids

WoodmenLife Representative Kim Koch of Ord, NE, is making her town better. She and other moms joined a group to help build an inclusive playground where all kids can play together, no matter their abilities.

Raising Money

Nebraska Chapter 264 helped by holding a fun event called “Playground Palooza” and gave $10,000 to kick off the project. This led to a big fundraising effort in October and November of last year.

“Our chapter was excited to support this project,” Koch said. “The Playground Palooza was just the beginning of our community coming together for this great cause.”

In total, the community raised an additional $40,000, bringing the total to $50,000.

“It’s amazing to see how much people care about making a place where all kids can play together,” Koch said.

A Community-Focused Approach

Throughout the project, Koch talked with local residents, sharing information about WoodmenLife’s mission to support community efforts.

What surprised Koch most was the response she received from the community. As she talked about the inclusive playground project, she found that many other people had been looking to start a similar project.

The inclusive playground’s features include wheelchair-friendly ramps and wide pathways, sensory play areas for children with autism, adaptive swings, and merry-go-rounds.

Designing an Inclusive Playground

The playground’s design focuses on accessibility and inclusivity. Features include wheelchair-friendly ramps and wide pathways, sensory play areas for children with autism, adaptive swings, and merry-go-rounds.

“We wanted every child to have a chance to play, regardless of their abilities,” Koch said.

Families with children of different abilities can now play together.

“We’re seeing friendships form between kids who might not have met otherwise,” Koch said. “It’s great to see the playground bring people together.”

Community Involvement

Koch believes that when people work together like this, it makes the whole community stronger. She’s proud that WoodmenLife could help bring the Ord community together.

“With projects like this, we’re building more than just playgrounds,” Koch said. “We’re creating a stronger, more inclusive community. That’s what WoodmenLife is all about, and I’m so proud to be a part of it.”

How You Can Help

Inspired by this story? You can contribute to the cause on Venmo @Bound4aplayground

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