Volunteers Lend a Hand to Help Build the New All Children's Therapeutic Playground
Volunteers from local credit unions and All Children's Hospital joined staff from the 2012 Republican National Convention and National Journal in a "Volunteer Day" on June 12 to work on the new therapeutic playground at All Children's Hospital. The volunteers helped plant sensory gardens, lay pavers and assembled small equipment.
The $300,000 therapeutic playground is being built in honor of the Republican National Convention. All of the money used for the project will come from credit unions in Alabama, Florida and across the country. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place during the week of the Republican National Convention, August 27-30.
When completed, the new playground will feature specially designed equipment to help the staff at All Children's address the special needs of children, especially those recovering from traumatic injuries.
The Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and National Journal Group are honoring the Republican National Convention by taking on the project. The effort represents a tradition of credit unions honoring cities that host the national party conventions with "leave-behind" projects which serve the local communities long after the conventions have left town.
"Credit unions in the Tampa-St. Pete region, who have a long history of supporting All Children's, are thrilled to have the chance to help this space become a state-of-the-art therapeutic playground," said Patrick La Pine, President/CEO of the League of Southeastern Credit Unions (LSCU), which represents credit unions in Florida and Alabama. "Knowing that credit unions made such a difference for the children of Florida embodies the spirit of the credit union philosophy."
"We appreciate not only the generous fundraising undertaken by the credit unions, but also the sweat equity all the volunteers have demonstrated by participating in the 'Volunteer Day' events," said Jonathan Ellen, MD, Physician-in-Chief and Interim President of All Children's Hospital. "It's a wonderful example of the community spirit that these groups have shown by helping create a healing space for All Children's patients and their families."
Convention and National Journal in a "Volunteer Day" on June 12 to work on the new therapeutic playground at All Children's Hospital. The volunteers helped plant sensory gardens, lay pavers and assembled small equipment.
