PAF is the Regional Winner for the
Lanscape Structures Together We Play Essay Contest! We won $10,000 worth of accessible playground equipment AND $50,000 in design services. This means that we are teaming up with a highly reputable and established organization to help us make Alexa's Playground a reality. The target date for the Grand Opening is December 2012. Needless to say, we are thrilled!! Here is the essay that was entered along with pictures, letters of recommendation, videos and a whole lot of heart!
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Contest Essay
In June of 2008, a four-year-old girl laid in a hospital
bed. She had been battling cancer for over
two years and was stricken with her first, but extremely aggressive infection
that had found its way into her lungs. Held
down by the numerous tubes exiting her body, a smile erupted across her face at
the thought of one thing… a pink playground.
“Mommy?”
“Yes, Alexa?”
“I want to go to a park.
A pink park. I want to go there
when I get better.”
It was no surprise that “Princess Alexa” (so named for her
love of dress up) wanted to go to a pink park.
After all, pink was her favorite color and playgrounds were a special
part of Alexa’s life during treatment.
Alexa’s weak immune system kept her from playing indoors with other
children, but outside, a playground became her kingdom. Alexa found strength being around other
children, even if she had no hair and her legs were at times weaker than her spirit.
It was in that moment, sitting by her bedside in the hospital
room that had been our home for so long, that I promised my little girl I would
get her to that playground. Just hours after
Alexa declared her desire, her body succumbed to the fatal infection and gave
way to a coma. A week later, Alexa
passed away in my arms as her father held us in his.
My daughter not only left me with the gift of her
inspirational life, but also the drive to DO something in her memory. I believe that children with debilitating
conditions should be able to feel as close to normal as possible. Let kids be kids. And what do kids do best? They PLAY!
I needed to help other children with unique circumstances like hers. It was like my pain was the fuel I needed to
give my own life away in service. Alexa was going to get a playground of her own
to share with ALL the friends she left behind, including the ones in
wheelchairs.
Shortly after Alexa died, I began reaching out to others to
help establish the Princess Alexa Foundation.
Our mission is to celebrate the childhood spirit of seriously ill
children through dress up and play. As
Alexa’s mother, I obviously have a personal drive to bring life to my
daughter’s wish. Now that I have been
the President of the Princess Alexa Foundation for three years, I see clearly how
all children, not just those with disabilities, would benefit from an inclusive
playground. Since the foundation was
created, I have witnessed the benefits of play from a much wider
perspective. We have established dress
up closets in every major Children’s Hospital in the Dallas/Fort Worth area,
both the Dallas and Fort Worth Ronald McDonald Houses, and the local Make A
Wish Chapter’s Headquarters. We also
encourage play through other outlets such as our Dress Up Deliveries and
Hospice Happiness Programs, where we send personalized dress up packages to
children of families living with serious illnesses.
Our Foundation has accomplished much in our three years, and
now it is time to give our much needed and most anticipated gift—Alexa’s
Playground. Alexa’s dream is quickly becoming a reality. Alexa’s hometown, Keller, TX, has designated
2.5 acres of land in the area to house Remember to Play, the site of Alexa’s Playground
and a memorial walkway. The entire area
will be wheelchair accessible and tailored to fit the needs of ALL children and
their families. The city has even committed
to performing all maintenance needs on Alexa’s Playground going forward.
Our foundation has gained a wide array of support from local
organizations. We have companies lined up to help with in-kind
goods from building materials to fencing.
Alexa’s Playground is fast becoming the talk of the town!
Our community needs this. The city of Keller has 437 acres of developed
and undeveloped park acreage. While that
seems like a large number of acres, it is well below the national average of
total park area relative to total city area.
With a population of over 40,000 and a projected build out population of
52,000, it is clear that Keller needs more recreational facilities, including
playgrounds.
In addition to general playground needs, there are no
inclusive playgrounds in the city of Keller and its surrounding area . . .
yet! Keller schools serve over 2,900
children with disabilities that are limited in their access to and/or enjoyment
of regularly constructed playgrounds. We
need an inclusive playground so that every
child in our community can enjoy the benefits of play. The Director of Special Education Services
for Keller ISD is on board with our project and is thrilled by the possibility
of a place to take special ed students while educating their entire student
body on the importance of inclusivity. As
a teacher myself, every day I see the need to have children of all levels of
ability be able to play together.
It is our hope that by giving children a place to convene,
inclusive of diverse needs, we can show,
not just tell, our children of our
commitment to their hopes, dreams, and futures. Alexa’s Playground and the Remember to Play
project is a symbol of that commitment.
The board of The Princess Alexa Foundation asks you to
consider our project as the beneficiary of this very generous gift. It will not only allow Alexa’s dream to break
ground; it will set off a chain reaction in the community of Keller that starts
with play and follows a path towards self-fulfillment. It will foster the creation of new friendships
and promote citywide pride. Alexa’s dream
has the potential to touch countless lives and hearts, which is why we are so
eager to get started.
When completed, Alexa’s Playground will be a living,
breathing, smiling reminder that dreams really do come true.
Thank you for reading Alexa’s story and for your
consideration of Alexa’s Playground for this contest.
Sincerely,
Crys Aigner
Founder, President, Mother
The Princess Alexa Foundation
The Playroom Before and After
