Children Donate to Help Build Playgrounds

Children in the department's After School Program revealed yesterday that they raised $1,125 to help build playgrounds for children in Haiti and Afghanistan. The children made the announcement after sliding down a sliding board at the George Mason Elementary School Playground.
Each year, children in the program select a charity to support that helps other children and their families somewhere in the world. This year, the children decided to raise funds by selling coupon books for the International Childhood Enrichment Program (ICEP). ICEP notes that while the situations in Haiti and Afghanistan differ vastly, children in both countries have not had the opportunity to experience the spontaneous joy of playing. Building playgrounds gives these young people the opportunity to reclaim their childhood.
Richmond’s Chief Service Officer Paul Manning recognized the children for their donation as well as the After School Program for the values it teaches. “The program not only provides a safe place for children after school; it is grooming future residents and leaders to help Build a Better Richmond and a better world,” he said.
Dr. David B. Jones, a board member of ICEP and a professor of Recreation and Leisure Studies at the University of Maine, was on hand to also recognize the children and accept the donation.
The department’s licensed After School Program currently serves 500 children at 20 elementary schools. In previous years, children in the program have raised funds to help build a merry-go-round that pumps water in an African village, purchase honey bees and bee hives for needy families to increase their agricultural yields and income, and provide solar cookers for women living in refugee camps in Chad so that they can feed their families and the orphaned children they adopt.
For more information on ICEP or to donate to help build playgrounds, visit
www.icepkidsplay.org.

Children to Reveal Donation to Help Build Playgrounds

WHO: Paul Manning, Chief Service Officer, City of Richmond
David B. Jones, Board Member, International Childhood Enrichment Program, and Associate Professor in Recreation and Leisure Studies, University of Southern Maine
Charles Hester, After School Program Coordinator; Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities, City of Richmond
Children in the Richmond Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities’ After School Program

WHAT: A “Reveal” – After sliding down the sliding board on the school’s
playground, children in the Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities’
After School Program will reveal the amount of money they have raised to donate to the International Childhood Enrichment Program to help build safe playgrounds for children in Afghanistan and Haiti.The public is invited to attend.

WHEN: 4 p.m., Thursday, May 19, 2011

WHERE: George Mason Elementary School Playground
813 North 28th Street
(Rain location will be the school cafeteria)

BACKGROUND:
Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities operates an After School Program at 20 elementary schools and a Before School Program at three elementary schools. Each year, children in these programs raise money to donate to a charity that helps other children around the world.
For more information, contact Christy Everson at 804-646-5944 or Tesha Davis at 804-646-3998.