Minneapolis, MN

Ten-year-old Justine Johnson was playing in Hastings during the summer of 1999 when she noticed a boy in a wheelchair who was unable to join the others as they climbed on the playground equipment.

"He looked sad," said Justine. "it made me feel sad too." So she went home and began drawing up "blue-prints" for equipment that would be accessible to children in wheelchairs. Her piano teacher saw the plans and arranged for her to speak at the local Kiwanis club, which donated $100 for an adaptive swing. After this triumph, Justine's ambition to create an entire park became an all-consuming passion.

After reading about Justine's efforts to raise money for an accessible playground, Wendell Nelson, a former Outdoor Recreation Products employee decided to volunteer his technical expertise. Wendell was injured in an auto accident in November 1998 that left him a C5-C6 quadriplegic.

"I was impressed with the effort of such a young girl, and knowing the business like I do, as well as the fact that this is going to be an accessible playstructure, I wanted to share my expertise," said Nelson.

On July 29th, Chautauqua Park in Hastings Nebraska was built as a result of Justine's fund raising, which generated $50,000 for the playground. Under the supervision of Bill Pospichal, owner of Outdoor Recreation Products, 50 volunteers built play structures based on Nelson's designs, which included ground-level play events, a stationary bicycle, and a swinging platform for wheelchairs.

Donations should be sent to the Hastings Community Foundation, Handicapped Park Fund, P.O. Box 703, Hastings, NE 68902.