The Calgary Children’s Foundation’s annual Pledge Day is this Friday, December 2nd. Once again, the radiothon will be broadcast live on 770 CHQR and listeners can call in to make donations.
Money raised is distributed throughout the community to deserving groups dedicated to enriching the lives of children.
One of those groups is Variety the Children’s Charity which is focused on building accessible playgrounds.
Global News recently toured a playground in Okotoks. It features ramps, catwalks, a windmill built seamlessly into the ground and special rubber flooring.
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Calgarians support children’s charity to the tune of $177k on 2021’s Pledge Day
“This couldn’t happen without the pledge day and the donors,” said Larry Horeczy of Variety. He said that this type of construction can cost up to $500,000 or more. A huge price tag falls on parents to raise money – which takes years to complete.
The Okotoks Playground began as a result of a friendship between two young people Gabbi Wildeman and Bentlee Alwood. The two met in kindergarten.
“It’s hard to see my best friend not being able to play and being included with everyone else,” Wildeman said. She refers to Alwood using a wheelchair. “So I wanted to do something.”
The two gathered with their families and the fundraising began.
Even though families raised enough money to build part of the playground in stages, it was never quite enough. Not to mention the additional $250,000 expense just to build the rubber floor, which they quickly realized was key to making it truly accessible.
“The challenge came that once they got on this playground, they realized that kids couldn’t actually maneuver on the surface,” Horeczy said.
That’s when Variety stepped in with community partners, including funds from Calgary Children’s Foundation. Finally, the playground could be built as it was always meant to be, and all children could enjoy it.
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Children like Vayda Badke. The sixth-grader uses a walker to help her get around.
“It kind of makes me happy because I can walk there and back without having any problems,” she said.
Completing the playground is meaningful work. It has changed the lives of many kids in Okotoks who no longer have to watch others have fun from the sidelines. No one is excluded.
Okotoks is just one of many neighborhoods desperate for such a space.
“These communities, they’re reaching out to us everywhere and they need your help,” Horeczy said, hoping that showcasing this playground will inspire others to donate to Pledge Day.
To donate, you can call the station on Friday, December 2, or visit the Calgary Children’s Foundation website.
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
