About:

Imagine if you will, it is a beautiful Fall day in the Ozarks. The skies are blue, the temperature is 72 degrees with a slight breeze.  You decide it is the perfect day to go to the park with your family.  You gather your children and take them to the playground.  As you walk towards the playground you step over the concrete barrier between the grass and the play area.  As you step into the wood chips of the playground you see all of the children playing on the equipment.  As you look across the playground you notice a child in a wheelchair sitting alone next to the concrete curb of the playground.  This child is sad as she can’t play with her family or friends.  She is left out because her wheelchair will not go over the curb and cannot be pushed through the wooden mulch.  Imagine what it would feel like to never get the chance to swing on a swing set; or go down a slide; or play at the playground with your friends.

In Christian County there are over 1,500 individuals with a developmental disability.  CC Links supports 472 of those individuals.  Our goal, in partnership with the Friends of Ozark Parks, is to build an inclusive playground where “Everybody can Play!”  Many of our families work in Springfield and the last thing they want to do at night after work is to travel back to Springfield to allow their children to play at the playground.  Christian County has been and is projected for the next 5 years to be the fastest growing county in the State of Missouri and needs an Inclusive Playground so that families can stay locally to play.  With your help, we can make this dream a reality.