By Caitlin Stroup, USA, on Community Impact in Yuma, AZ
Some of my fondest memories as a child and to be honest even as a young adult have been playing at playgrounds. I love to see how high I can go on the swings before jumping off, hanging upside down on the monkey bars, and trying not to step on the woodchips or ground because it is fiery lava and the playground itself is the only safe place.
The cast got to experience this first hand today in Yuma, Arizona. We did CI at a local playground that was built in 2007 by community members of Yuma. The community asked children what they would like in a playground and in return they received drawings and ideas from the kids of Yuma. They brought together all the ideas and created a playground with castles, tree houses, play airplanes, trains and giant spiders.
It was great because half of the cast got to help by washing the playground for all the kids of the community to play on. This playground hadn’t been cleaned since it was built in 2007! Even though it was over 90 degrees we made it through and got the playground spic and span before lunch. We got done much earlier than they expected, but it was great because we were able to help clean another playground and do some weeding that needed to be done in the park.
As we were leaving the park it was a great feeling to see a group of kids playing on the playground that we helped clean and knowing that they were going to be making the same great memories that I did as a child.
We LOVED your outstanding performances this past Saturday evening
at the Gila Ridge High School Performing Arts Center in Yuma, AZ.
It topped whatever we had imagined it to be….a jam-packed, high-energy,
enthusiastic group of young people who showed tremendous talent and abilities.
Thanks for coming to Yuma. You inspired us as well as entertaining us so beautifully.
God Bless you all!