Johnson County Parks Department installs first Lappset Sona in the State of Indiana
Johnson County Parks Department wanted to design Independence Park to become an inclusive park. Fundraising efforts to update the park were underway for about three years. In 2020, the County was finally able to purchase the main playground and surfacing with Midstates Recreation!
Because inclusivity is the goal
A Kid Again Foundation got wind of Johnson County Parks’ endeavour when searching ‘inclusive park’ online. They saw that the parks department was seeking donations and sponsorships for their inclusive park, and A Kid Again reached out to them. When they found out everything had already been purchased and funded, A Kid Again still wanted to contribute somehow because they had received a grant from the NBA All-Star 2021 Host Committee. Each year, the NBA All-Star Host Committee supports various projects in the state that will hold the All-Star game. With this year being Indiana, the Committee funded 21 unique community projects across the state. A Kid Again applied and received a grant to support an inclusive playground. That is when the Foundation reached out to Johnson County Parks about collaborating. Because inclusivity was the goal, Amber Berninger from Midstates Recreation suggested the Lappset Sona Interactive dance and play arch to A Kid Again and Johnson County Parks. Both organizations were onboard pretty quickly.
The arch is striking in appearance. They liked its shape, as it’s well suited with the other equipment on-site and it was something that people of all abilities and ages can play on together. The Sona is truly inclusive. A Kid Again presented the idea to the NBA/Pacers Foundation and received final approval to move forward with the project.
A Kid Again takes large groups of children who are faced with a life-threatening illness on adventures. Their goal as an organization is to provide these children with a day away from the worries of their health and limitations. It is equally important for these children’s caretakers to play with the children on these adventures. Because the Sona has no height, climbing, or need for a transfer – adults are more willing to interact in the play. The Parks Department also liked that they could remotely control Sona’s games, volume, light, and power mode and see the duration and frequency of play over time.
