Bear's Tillman helps build Addison school playground
While the toddlers and young children who attend Ardmore Elementary School are thrilled about their new playground, the grown-ups at the Addison school are just as excited about the player tied to it.
Chicago Bears cornerback Charles "Peanut" Tillman visited the school, which serves children ages 3 to 6, on Tuesday and helped volunteers erect its first playground.
The structure was built in honor of Tillman, who was recognized by The Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP program. The program honors NFL players who give back to local communities. Tillman was one of 17 players selected leaguewide for his work in founding the Cornerstone Foundation, which helps critically and chronically ill children in Chicagoland.
"It's an honor in itself to be recognized (because) I do the things I do just because I want to do them," Tillman said. "I'm appreciative because I'm sure every team has a group of guys who do so much for the community."
Along with Tillman, more than 50 school staff and supporters and 160 Home Depot employees worked throughout the day assembling swings and slides, laying concrete and raking mulch to get the park ready for students.
Michele Ramsey, Ardmore's principal, said the new playground - which is designed in the Chicago Bears' signature orange and blue colors - will especially benefit special needs children, who make up about 20 percent of Ardmore's student body.
"When the adaptive swing was unloaded off the truck last Saturday, my staff was just like 'Yay!,'" Ramsey said. "Whether they have wheelchairs, walkers, wagons or strollers, everyone will be able to participate in some way."
To make the playground a reality, Ardmore applied to partner with the not-for-profit group KaBOOM!, which works to create play areas for children. KaBOOM! then paired Ardmore with Home Depot's sponsorship, and the school had to raise $10,000 to fund the remainder of the project. The school has almost reached its financial goal through donations from parents and staff, as well as through spirit wear sales.
During Tuesday's construction, local businesses also donated products and food for the volunteers. Members of the Addison Fire Department also pitched in to help with the work.
"It really is a community build," Ramsey said.
Some Ardmore staff members lent more than their hands for the project. Art teacher Tony Mangano acted as DJ on Tuesday, keeping music going to motivate volunteers. Mangano and his colleague, reading specialist Barb Mueller, both agreed that the playground will become an essential tool for their students, who are at ages where play is integral to learning.
"Many of our students go home and they're bottled up," Mangano said. "Because they come from low-income families, their parents are both working and they're being watched by a brother or sister. So this will be wonderful."