For this park, Playworld Systems donated approximately $60,000 in playground equipment in memory of Wayne Anderson, president of a Mesa-based distributor of Playworld Systems' products. The park is named in his honor.

 
Photo Credits: Courtesy of Tracey Cassidy

More than 250 volunteers from Playworld Systems, and Arizonans for Children, organizers from KaBOOM! and residents of the Mesa, Ariz. community joined forces and built a new playground at Arizonans for Children's Mesa Visitation Center. The new playground's design is based on drawings created by children who participated in a Design Day event in December.

Today's kids spend less time playing outside than any previous generation in part because only 1-in-5 children live within walking distance of a park or playground. This play deficit is having profound consequences for kids physically, socially and cognitively. Children need a place to play every day in order to be active and healthy, something KaBOOM! has been committed to since 1996.

The new playground serves thousands of children. Arizonans for Children's Mesa Visitation Center provides a comfortable and neutral environment specially designated for supervised visitations so that children who are wards of the state can establish and maintain the best possible relationship with non-custodial parents and family.

Playworld Systems is a KaBOOM! Partner in Play and is the primary equipment manufacturer for KaBOOM! playground builds. This project is one of more than 150 playground builds KaBOOM! will lead across the country in 2013 in an effort to fulfill its vision of a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America.