ALTOONA, Pa. (WJAC) — An Altoona park is getting an upgrade to let people of all abilities feel more welcome.
"Parents want to bring their children to the parks. Like my daughter-in-law with Miles. Her friends might want to come to the park, but Miles isn't able to participate," said Penny Brunner, Smiles for Miles organizer.
Brunner’s grandson is the inspiration for her charity, Smiles for Miles. She said children with disabilities are often left out during trips to the park.
"My grandson Miles is one of only 500 cases in the world of glycine encephalopathy. That has rendered him severely disabled," Brunner said.
Penny wants disabled children to experience the same joys as any other child, through new equipment.
"I took my boys to a playground once and saw a child sitting in a wheelchair and he wasn't able to participate with his other siblings and that really hit me hard," Altoona Mayor Matt Pacifico said.
Smiles for Miles teamed up with the mayor and the Central Blair Recreation Commission to bring an inclusive playground to Altoona’s Prospect Park.
"So you'll be able to wheel or walk right up onto it. There will be sensory panels and hand rails throughout the entire unit as well as a sway-fun glider that they will be able to walk right onto or wheel right onto," Central Blair Recreation Commissioner Michael Hofer said.
"I saw my little grandson swinging in his special needs chair and his little arms were flying and he was so happy. It made me just want to bring this to everybody I could," Brunner said.
Pacifico said it gives all children, regardless of their abilities, a place to go and play and just have fun.
The new playground is expected to be up and running by early summer, but Brunner is still raising money for future park projects by placing these collection jars in businesses around Blair County.
Brunner believes the new equipment will help build stronger community. "If we want to see healing in our communities, we have to start with the little children. And there is no greater teacher than playing with a child with special needs for a healthy child to learn compassion," she said.
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