Saturday, December 3, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Project Sevier at Coffee Talk
Project Sevier would like to thank the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce for allowing us to present the all inclusive playground to all those that attended Coffee Talk on Tuesday, November 15. It was great fellowship, great food, and a wonderful way to bring ideas to those who work hard in making Sevier County a top notch area to call home! (Photos from the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce)
Friday, November 4, 2011
Ground Broken for Special Playground to Serve All Kids
Cecil Page II, left, and Lisa Bremer of Project Sevier visit with Jordan Cates, a student at Trula Lawson Learning Center, during the groundbreaking Wednesday for an all-inclusive playground in Sevierville. It's a playground Jordan will be able to enjoy once completed. Photo by Jeff Farrell
SEVIERVILLE — A local group is asking for the public’s help in making sure that all children in Sevier County have at least one playground to enjoy. Project Sevier’s goal is to build a playground alongside LeConte Medical Center that would be accessible for children with special needs and disabilities. The planned location is a Sevierville greenway adjacent to the hospital campus, at the intersection of Millwood Drive and Middle Creek Road.
At a groundbreaking Wednesday, Project Sevier officials said they wanted to make sure that kids with disabilities had at least one place in the county where they could play alongside friends and family. Right now, no public playground in Sevier County is designed to be fully handicap-accessible.
“This would be the first time kids will be able to swing that were never able to swing,” President Lisa Bremer said. “It could be the first time they have an outdoor party with their friends where all kids get to participate.”
The playground was the brainchild of a group from Leadership Tomorrow, an organization that helps the county’s aspiring leaders learn about local government and nonprofit programs and encourages them to become more involved in their community. As part of the course, participants break into smaller groups to complete a community service project, and Bremer and her group hit upon the idea of a building the playground.
They obtained the land from the City of Sevierville, and formed Project Sevier as a nonprofit agency to collect donations to pay for it. They estimate the type of park they’re planning will cost about $100,000.
A class from Trula Lawson Early Childhood Center was ready to play on the playground when they saw an artist’s concept — questions like “Are we going to play on it?” came up more than once.
They couldn’t, of course, on Wednesday but after Project Sevier collects the money they’ll get a chance to pick among competing designs. Bremer said they will ask for designs based on specifications including the need to be fully accessible, the theme of honoring emergency responders and the size of the property. Once the designs are returned, they plan on letting the kids take part in selecting the design.
After all, officials said, the idea is to build a playground they’ll all enjoy.
.Imagine being in a park and sitting in a chair watching your brothers and sisters being able to swing and play ball while you just have to sit here,” Vice President Cecil Page II said. “We want to make this (playground) a reality so they won’t have to do that anymore. They’ll be just as incorporated as their family and friends.”
Donations can be mailed to Project Sevier Inc.; P.O. Box 4863; Sevierville, TN 37862. For more information, call 368-5455 or visit projectsevier.blogspot.com.
n jfarrell@themountainpress.com
Saturday, October 29, 2011
EDITORIAL An all-inclusive effort: Plans for special-needs park for kids deserve community support Read more: The Mountain Press - EDITORIAL An all inclusive effort Plans for special needs park for kids deserve community support
It’s called Project Sevier, and it deserves recognition, support and praise from this community for its intended purpose. A group from 2011 class of Leadership Tomorrow is trying to raise money to construct a special-needs playground for children, an all-inclusive park where the disabled or handicapped can go and play among equipment designed just for them.
Lisa Bremer, Cecil Page II and Darren Bailey were grouped during their Leadership Tomorrow experience and took on the playground as their special community project. They had noticed disabled children watching while other kids played at area parks, and it bothered them. Rather than just complain and express concern, they took it on themselves to do something.
They were given a tract of land next to LeConte Medical Center. They created a nonprofit organization. And now they are raising the money. That last part is a daunting challenge. The park they need to build will cost around $100,000. It has to be have specially made equipment, be wheelchair-accessible, and include a rubber floor that accommodates wheelchairs and active children.
The all-inclusive park, as they are calling it, would be a wonderful addition to Sevier County. It will give all kids, whether handicapped or able, a chance to play and have a good time. It’s hard to know how many special-needs kids would welcome the park, but it has to be hundreds. It’s really not fair that more public parks here do not accommodate such children.
A groundbreaking for the park is scheduled for 11 a.m. Nov. 2 at the corner of Middle Creek and Millwood roads in Sevierville. In the meantime, if you feel motivated to help, contact Bremer at 368-5455 or email to projectsevier@gmail.com. You can get even more information about the park on the Project Sevier blog at http://projectsevier.blogspot.com and on the group’s Facebook page.
Printed in the Mountain Press on October 21, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
A Place to Play (Article in The Mountain Press)
A Place to Play: Group working to create all-inclusive playground
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| 0 | | But one small group of people noticed how children confined to wheelchairs or otherwise unable to utilize the traditional playground equipment were left on the sidelines to watch other children enjoy those amenities. That group is now working to generate the funds needed to create an all-inclusive playground specially designed for children with special needs.
Project Sevier began as a community project out of the 2011 class of Leadership Tomorrow, a program of Leadership Sevier that provides adults 40 and younger insight into the community and encourages service projects.
Lisa Bremer, Cecil Page II and Darren Bailey were grouped during their tenure in Leadership Sevier and took on as their project the idea of providing a place to play for special-needs children. None of them have special-needs children of their own.
Their goal during their time in Leadership Tomorrow was to get the land donated. Their job was to follow up on their own after they graduated from Leadership Tomorrow, and make sure the project didn’t stall.
The group applied for status as a non-profit agency and, working with the city of Sevierville, was donated a small tract of land next to LeConte Medical Center. The group will host a groundbreaking ceremony at 11 a.m. Nov. 2 at the site near the corner of Millwood and Middle Creek drives.
The groundbreaking will cap almost a year’s worth of planning and effort by the three individuals who saw a need and decided to do something about it.
“The challenge with Leadership Tomorrow is, you have to do a community service project,” Bremer said. “They said to think of something that would make a big change for years to come. So I guess we went above and beyond in thinking about this project.”
Bremer and Page said they all saw how much an all-inclusive park was needed while at a picnic held for their Leadership Tomorrow class.
“We had program day out at Pigeon Forge Park,” Page said. “There was a group of kids out there, and there were six kids in wheelchairs sitting outside the park just watching the other kids play. That touched us.”
They approached the children and started playing catch with them and talking to them about things they would like to be able to do on a playground.
“We asked what they wished they could do and what they would like,” Page said.
Among their wishes was the ability to swing. “Something we take for granted,” Page said.
Page said the closest all-inclusive park is located more than an hour away.
Bremer said the playground at Trula Lawson is wheelchair-accessible, but it’s closed to the public at the end of the school day and during the summer. They asked staff at the school for input on the design of a park that can be used by everyone, not only those with special needs.
The biggest expense will be the more than $20,000 for the rubber flooring that allows easy maneuverability for wheelchairs.
“We’re hoping there is some company out there that would be willing to put the rubber flooring down, because they can put their logo in the floor,” Bremer said. They’re looking for sponsors for that.
Equipment to install includes activity centers themed after rescue vehicles such as fire trucks, ambulances and police cars, plus swings and even a rock wall.
“Our plan is to have a rock wall that is not a steep one, but is for kids with special needs as well,” Bremer said.
In all, the group needs to raise around $100,000. Bremer and Page said once built, the park will be maintained by the city of Sevierville.
If it were up to Bremer, the playground would already be a reality.
“I’m hoping,” she said, “we get it completed before Feb. 1.”
Page said he can’t wait to see the playground built and in use.
“Not only will it be gratifying for us personally, but for the community itself,” he said. “There are so many kids in our county right now that struggle with special needs. We’re doing a disservice in not stepping out of the box and helping.”
Those willing to help can contact Bremer at 368-5455 or by email to projectsevier@gmail.com. More information is available on the Project Sevier blog at http://projectsevier.blogspot.com and on the group’s Facebook page.
Read more: The Mountain Press - A Place to Play Group working to create all inclusive playground
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Ground Breaking Date Set
Project Sevier, Inc. is made up of the following:
Lisa Bremer, President
Cecil Page II, Vice President
Darren Bailey, Secretary/Treasurer
Monday, June 27, 2011
It's Official!
As of June 27, 2011 Project Sevier, Inc is an official non-profit organization. The members of Project Sevier, Lisa Bremer, Darren Bailey, and Cecil Page, are planning many fundraisers in the near future to help make the all inclusive public park a reality. Spread the word that Project Sevier, Inc. needs everyone's help in raising money for the first all inclusive public park in Sevier County. We are excited to be a small part in bringing smiles to all children and adults with some type of special need.
We would like to send out a BIG thank you to Mr. Alex Johnson for all his help in making this non-profit organization possible!
We would like to send out a BIG thank you to Mr. Alex Johnson for all his help in making this non-profit organization possible!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The Planning Begins
Making a lasting effect on Sevier County was the main goal for Project Sevier members, and together they have set out to plan, design, and establish a public park for all children and their families. A park for all children would mean a park that has been designed to include equipment for those with special needs. The committee wanted to develop a park that would allow families with a special needs child a safe place to visit with all their children.
The beginning stages meant meeting with Sevierville City Parks and Recreation Director, Bob Parker. Through the meetings the location, design, and cost were discussed. Once the design of the park was completed the committee wrote a letter to the Sevierville City Board of Mayor and Alderman to request land to establish the park. On January 3, 2011 committee member, Lisa Bremer, and Parks & Recreation Director, Bob Parker, presented the designed plans for the park to the Sevierville City Board of Mayer and Alderman to request property located near the new LeConte Medical Center for the park site. The land was granted.
Project Sevier immediately began working on the establishment of raising money for the new park. In days ahead you will be able to read more about this exciting new park and how you can help make it a reality!
Click post above to view the possible completion design of the Park
The beginning stages meant meeting with Sevierville City Parks and Recreation Director, Bob Parker. Through the meetings the location, design, and cost were discussed. Once the design of the park was completed the committee wrote a letter to the Sevierville City Board of Mayor and Alderman to request land to establish the park. On January 3, 2011 committee member, Lisa Bremer, and Parks & Recreation Director, Bob Parker, presented the designed plans for the park to the Sevierville City Board of Mayer and Alderman to request property located near the new LeConte Medical Center for the park site. The land was granted.
Project Sevier immediately began working on the establishment of raising money for the new park. In days ahead you will be able to read more about this exciting new park and how you can help make it a reality!
Click post above to view the possible completion design of the Park
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