Volunteers celebrate as they prepare to haul the last pile of mulch for the multigenerational playground built in Portland, Oregon, during the 2012 fall playground tour.
Humana and nonprofit KaBOOM! today launched their third annual fall playground tour. The Humana Builds tour will stop in nine cities across the country over the next nine weeks, beginning Saturday, Sept.14, in Columbus, Ohio.
“We are excited to be entering the third year of our partnership with KaBOOM!,” said Thomas J. Liston, President, Retail Segment for Humana. “These playgrounds offer a great place for families and communities to come together in an environment that promotes health and well-being. We’re proud of our work with KaBOOM! in dozens of communities in the U.S.”
The multi-generational playgrounds built by Humana and KaBOOM! feature traditional kid-friendly equipment, as well as walking paths and fitness stations for adults, creating spaces for people of all ages to gather. Everyone who participates in the builds this fall will have the opportunity not only to build a playground but also to join in additional onsite activities, such as a step challenge.
A multi-generational playground can bring communities together. “The playground has really improved the quality of life for many people who live at Gateway Park,” said Marcus French, a Gateway Park resident in Portland, Ore., where Humana and KaBOOM! teamed up on a playground in the fall of 2012 “Now, families and people living at Gateway Park have a great place to gather together.”
In addition to Columbus, playgrounds will be built in Maryville, Tenn. (near Knoxville); Raleigh, N.C.; Chesapeake, Va.; St. Louis, Mo.; Jacksonville, Fla.; West Valley City, Utah (near Salt Lake City); Las Vegas, Nevada; and San Diego, Calif., from Sept. 14 through Nov. 16. Regular tour updates will be available on Twitter and Facebook through the hashtags #HumanaBuilds and #KaBOOMBuild.
“This partnership with Humana brings us one step closer to achieving our vision of having a great place to play within walking distance for every child in America,” said Darell Hammond, Founder and CEO of KaBOOM! “These playgrounds truly offer something for everyone, and provide a space for people of all generations to interact and get some great exercise.”
Based in part on the success of their 2011 campaign in which eight playgrounds were built in eight cities in eight weeks, Humana and The Humana Foundation entered a three-year alliance with KaBOOM! in 2012. By the end of 2014, Humana, The Humana Foundation and KaBOOM! will have teamed up to build more than 50 playgrounds across the United States.
Additionally, The Humana Foundation also sponsors the KaBOOM! Playful City USA initiative, a program honoring cities and towns that make play a priority and use innovative approaches to get children active, playing and healthy. The Foundation is also partnering with KaBOOM! to fund a multi-year research study to assess the connection between access to quality playspaces and well-being.
