Students building bracelets for a new park

More than $900 in less than three weeks.

Sarah Corkery and Amanda Weichers are hoping to enlist the city’s cooperation in constructing the disabled-friendly playground in Greenhill Park, but first they will have to raise $500,000 from grants and private donations.

Corkery and Weichers drew inspiration from an inclusive playground in Portland, Ore., called Harper’s Playground.

Mark Kuiper with Ritland-Kuiper Landscape Architects has already worked up some designs for a similar park in Cedar Falls. The chosen park is Greenhill Park.

“We felt that Greenhill Park provided the nicest canvas for us to develop what we actually feel is going to be a destination park for Cedar Falls,” Kuiper said. “There just aren’t many examples of parks in Iowa that are doing this well, so we feel like this is going to be a regional draw.”

So to help with the drive, Mrs. Foss’s third grade class at Hansen Elementary is sacrificing fun and games to help a friend. In their spare time, her class makes stylish bracelets for their friend Beau, who struggles with a seizure disorder and was born with a rare brain abnormality.

The profit is going toward building the disabled-friendly playground at Greenhill park.

Tuesday, May 23, Holmes Student Council volunteered to be part of the good deed.

The group of students walked over to Hansen and met many kids who have sacrificed their recess to help make bracelets.

Tuesday night, the young kids sold the bracelets at Michaels Craft Store and brought in $151 in sales. This puts the total of money they have received so far for bracelets at $1,511 over the last couple weeks.

The Facebook page dedicated to “Beau’s Beautiful Blessings” went said, “Many folks came in tonight that saw a post on FB. They were a friend of a friend of a friend. It shows you the power of social media and helping us to spread the word about the #PlaceToPlayPark. Keep talking, sharing and telling everyone you know about this amazing playground for people of ALL abilities. You never know when the right person might be listening.”

Student Council staff leader Julie Rouse was very heartstruck about the effort put into helping Beau.

“We appreciate the opportunity to be a small part of the Bracelets for Beau campaign. Mrs. Foss’s class is doing great things, and it is a joy to see their hard work pay off,” Rouse said. “One day the Place to Play Park will be a reality, and it will be a great tribute to their friendship and giving spirit. The Holmes Junior High Student Council members enjoyed every second with these third graders, and we found making the bracelets therapeutic. It reminded us to take time and do things for others. It’s good for your soul.”

Mrs. Foss’s class will be visiting Holmes Junior High to make more bracelets.