Kids Advisory Board

2/2/20

Today was our second Kids Advisory Board meeting and, once again, the kids stepped up to the challenge of designing and planning an incredible playground that evokes the playfulness and love of life and adventure that Emmet epitomized.

During the meeting, kids worked on making creative playground structures, making choices on the actual playground equipment to purchase, brainstorming appropriate fundraisers, and designing T-shirts that we may use for future community events. Like the first meeting, we felt comforted and buoyed by the kids, who remember Emmet's happiest times and always wind up telling us some funny story that we didn't know about him.

Additionally, kids have volunteered to work on various aspects of the project: Sarah S. is designing a logo, Caroline E. is raising money for her bat mitzvah, Ben D. made holiday pumpkin breads as a fundraiser, and lots of kids will be asking their favorite local stores if they want to be a part of the project. It is wonderful to see how enthusiastically Emmet's friends and cousins have mobilized behind this effort to do good and spread Emmet's joy to others.

And...this is super cool....ABC News channel 7 came to film the event today! They are doing a story on how the kids are helping us to build the playground, and how it is a mutually healing experience. A lovely reporter interviewed Jeff and me and a few of the kids, and filmed them working in their stations. I will keep you posted on when it will air.

Separate but important: Big shoutout to PowerPlay Inc and Miracle-Recreation who have become committed to helping us to make our vision a reality with lots of suggestions, advice, conference calls, and super-creative ideas. They also sent us those huge play mats with color-form like pieces to build imaginative designs. We feel so lucky to be working with them!

Emmet feels especially close during these times, and we know that he would be enjoying every minute of this.