Children run lemonade stand in Lake Zurich to raise money for accessible playground

A group of children with special needs ran a lemonade and popcorn stand outside The Hope Collective church in Lake Zurich Wednesday to raise money and awareness for a planned accessible playground.

Despite a few passing rain showers, the spirit of the children weren't dampened as they served drinks and snacks.

"The enthusiasm they feel is because they are getting a playground just for them," said Donna Riemer, an outreach pastor at Hope.

While some parks may have a wheelchair accessible swing, it is rare for one to be completely accessible. And as someone whose husband was in a wheelchair for 37 years after breaking his back, Riemer knows just how special that is.

"Where things are made so everyone in the family could participate in it at once, there's nothing like it," she said.

Hope Collective donates space to the Center for Independence through Conductive Education, a nonprofit benefiting children with disabilities. Children whose parents cannot afford expensive health insurance will drive from far away to participate in the organization's programming.

The planned playground will be called Peg's Park in honor of Peggy Britcliffe, who worked with children with severe disabilities at Swedish Hospital in Chicago until she retired at 78. When Britcliffe died in 2019, she left $180,000 to help build the park.

Riemer said the playground will cost $250,000. Before Wednesday's lemonade sale, organizers had raised about $20,000 on top of Britcliffe's gift.

The children working the lemonade stand added $3,204 in cash toward the goal Wednesday, plus additional donations made online.

"I'm sure we didn't hit $50,000, but the word got out and I think that's what's so important," Riemer said. "There's people out there whose heart will be touched by these children as soon as they meet them."

Though the playground will be built on the church grounds, it will be open to anyone in the area.

"There are no fences here," Riemer said.

Construction is scheduled to begin in late July, whether they've raised all the funds or not.

"We're going to start and trust God is going to bring us the rest," Riemer said.

Those interested in donating to the playground project can do so at thehopeco.com/give. The Hope Collective was formerly Alpine Chapel and is at 23153 W. Miller Road in Lake Zurich.