Playground builds skills for Summit Academy students

Representatives from Fisher-Price Inc., Ingram-Micro, and Fox Valley Club will join staff and students to officially open the new special needs playground at the Summit Academy.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 12 at the playground, 150 Stahl Road, Amherst.

Two separate play areas - one for preschoolers and one for school-age students - have age-appropriate play equipment.

The playground is adjacent to Summit's new state-of-the-art building, completed in July 2005. The building houses a year-round school program for students, ages 3 through 16, with developmental disabilities, along with Outreach, Office of Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities, and administrative offices.

"The playground will provide an outdoor learning environment that is safe, fun and challenging to the more than 300 students who attended Summit Academy, said Stephen R. Anderson, executive director of Summit. He said the contributions of Fisher-Price, Ingram-Micro, and Fox Valley Club allowed completion of the project more than a year earlier than planned.

Playground construction began in September, with more than 50 Fisher-Price volunteers working to prepare the site and installing playground equipment.

Fisher-Price contributed construction costs along with funding for equipment in the preschool play area which features an alphabet panel, tot rock climber, fun phone, sand and water tables, slides, and swings.

"Playgrounds provide a setting for young children to learn physical and social skills - and it's a place for them to have fun," said Sarah Craig, vice president of Human Resources and Administration for Fisher-Price. "We are extremely proud that Summit is the recipient of our 20th Fisher-Price playground."

Ingram-Micro contributed $42,000 in proceeds from its Aug. 26 golf tournament. Those funds were directed to the school-age playground for students ages 5 and older. This area features swings, a climbing wall, slides, ladders, bridges, fun phones, and a spray mister for water play. Fox Valley Club, sponsor of the 2006 Vixen Cup,

donated more than $30,000 in proceeds from its annual charity golf tournament on Sept. 17. The tournament was co-chaired by Fox Valley member Marla Mellon of Williamsville and Frank Broderick of Clarence.

Support from Summit families and staff at the Walk for Summit, Monte Carlo Night, and recent book sales raised additional funds, which were directed to the playground.

"This playground is a dream come true for our students, staff, and families. A lot of time and attention was given to selecting equipment that would provide visual, physical, and tactile experiences for the wide variety of students with developmental disabilities that we serve," said Kathy Bunce, Summit development officer, who worked on the playground project.

The entire project cost more than $200,000, significantly less than expected, due in part to a substantial discount offered by Joe Denzak, factory representative of Miracle Recreational Equipment, and James Dobmeier, president of Surface America, who installed the playground's safety surface.