PARK FOUNDATION
Go Out and Play in Chessie’s Big Backyard A new, fully-accessible playground, Chessie‟s Big Backyard, is coming to the Family Recreation Area at Lee District Park. Following the successful opening of the accessible treehouse and Our Special Harbor sprayground earlier this year, the Fairfax County Park Foundation is leading a fundraising effort to create a playground area in the spirit of Clemyjontri Park to help complete Lee District. The creation of the fully accessible treehouse and sprayground completed the first phase of additions at Lee District Park. Phase two of the Family Recreation Area will include a Chessie‟s Big Backyard playground area, a fully accessible carousel and a new picnic shelter. The future playground will maintain the Chesapeake Bay and treehouse themes of the park to help highlight the challenges facing the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the environmental stewardship values of the Park Authority. The accessible playground and carousel at Clemyjontri Park enjoy enormous popularity, demonstrating that the demand for such facilities is rapidly increasing. Clemyjontri‟s success is a signal to increase the supply of such facilities, and Chessie‟s Big Backyard aims to meet this demand. “We hope to create a special type of park where all individuals, including those with special needs, can enjoy a full-day park experience with family and friends. It will truly be a unique park and set a new standard for fully accessible parks,” said Roberta A. Longworth, Executive Director of the Fairfax County Park Foundation. “We have a strong steering committee, chaired by former Lee District Supervisor Dana Kauffman. We hope to attract a large base of donors to help us launch the first section of the playground in three years.”
Park Foundation Receives National Humanitarian Award
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) has named the Fairfax County Park Foundation as the recipient of its 2011 National Corporate Humanitarian Award. The award is given annually to a corporation or foundation that has made The Fairfax County Park Foundation hopes this project will empower children with special significant and consistent contributions to the recreation, parks and conservation field by needs and ease the financial burden that disabilities may place on families by providing a sponsorship, creation or implementation of a program free recreation facility where children of all ability levels may interact. The Foundation be- or project. It will be presented in November at the lieves this interaction will build friendships and foster respect for and tolerance of people NRPA‟s Congress and Exposition in Atlanta. NRPA is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to with special needs so they may be defined by who they are and not by their disability. advancing park, recreation and conservation efforts The Fairfax County Park Foundation (www.fairfaxparkfoundation.org) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that that enhance quality of life for all people. helps pick up where tax dollars leave off in meeting community needs for parkland, facilities and services. Contributions to the Park Foundation are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Fall 2011
3