Hurricane Katrina Anniversary

I'm honored to have Kaboom! as a guest today,(Aug. 11th) on Giving Hearts Live
(http://www.internetvoicesradio.com) to discuss the non-profit organizations's 2 year initiative, Operation Playground-- an initiative launched to build 100 playgrounds in the affected areas of The Gulf Coast.

A podcast of the Broadcast will be available on the website, for readers who may have missed the live braodcast.

The planning process well underway last June, included
children volunteers offering their design input to company leaders of Home depot,Playworld Systems and Hands on Network. The children brainstorm color scheme and create drawings of the ideal playground during the process.

During my informative boradcast with Kaboom, I will address the question of the connection between academic success and play, as well as children's health and play.

Not only will the initiative bring hope to the devastated communities on the Gulf Coast, but also good physical and academic health to the children of the affected areas.

With the rise of childhood obsesity, the need for exercise cannot be overemphasized.

According to a fact sheet produced by Kaboom, recognition of a stark difference between children who engage in play and those who don't has been identified.

Kids who play are healthier:Kids who play are less likely to be obese and develop obesity-related health risks such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Kids who play do better in school: Kids who engage in regular play develop the cognitive skills that are positivley linked to learning and academic performance.

Kids who play, play well as adults:Kids who play build their confidence and learn social skills that help them become happier, better adjusted adults.

Beginning on August 28-31, thousands of volunteer mobilize in the Gulf Coast region to build 10 playgrounds in short four days in association with Kaboom and their partners.

The amount of dedication and love put forth to achieve the construction of 10 playgrounds in four days, staggers the mind and heart. Kaboom invites community leaders to continue to identify neighborhoods in need of safe play areas, and get involved in their construction through resources available to them on the website.

I'm excited to learn about some of the challenges and joys of the project and will write a follow-up article to share more information next week.

Kaboom, headquartered in Washigton, DC opened its doors in 1996 and since then has facilitated the building of nearly 1,000 playgrounds and skateparks and participated in the renovation of another 3,500 playgrounds in the U.S. and Canada.

For more information, visit: http://www.kaboom.org