Playground Surface Project
For years, the playground at Sara’s Garden and New Horizons Academy has been a place of laughter, growth, and inclusion — a space where children of all abilities could play, explore, and connect. Unfortunately, due to instances of vandalism and misuse over the years, the playground surface and several pieces of equipment have sustained significant damage. A while back, we made the difficult decision to close the playground to the public until essential repairs and resurfacing could be completed to ensure the no further damage occur.
The playground’s poured-in-place rubber surface, originally installed to provide a safe and fully handicap-accessible play environment, was a major investment in inclusion. When first constructed, the cost to install this specialized surface was just over $150,000. Today, due to rising material and labor costs, resurfacing the playground will exceed $300,000 — whether we choose to reinstall a poured-in-place rubber surface or transition to a high-quality artificial turf system designed for accessibility and durability.
The good news is that donors have already stepped forward in a powerful way. Through generous donations and dedicated fundraising efforts, we have raised nearly half of the funds needed to complete this project. Our goal is to secure the remaining support and fully restore the playground by the start of the 2026–27 school year. Reopening this space will once again provide children with a safe, welcoming environment where everyone can participate fully, regardless of physical ability.
As we look to the future, we are also developing plans to reopen the playground to the public in a more structured way. By implementing controlled access and monitoring measures, we hope to protect this important community resource and prevent the vandalism and misuse that led to its closure. Our vision is not only to rebuild, but to preserve and safeguard the playground for generations of children to come.
We invite individuals, families, businesses, and community organizations to join us in making this vision a reality. Financial contributions of any size bring us closer to reopening this vital space. Just as importantly, sharing our mission, connecting us with potential sponsors, or encouraging local organizations to support the project can make a meaningful difference.
Together, we can restore a place where every child is welcomed, included, and free to play. Your generosity and advocacy will help ensure that this accessible playground continues to serve as a source of joy, growth, and community connection for years to come!
Thank You to the Ohio Elks Association, its CP Fund, and the Toledo-Sylvania Elks Lodge #53! The Ohio Elks CP Fund donated $14,000 towards the purchase of a key piece of rehabilitative and conductive education (CE) equipment—the Dynamic Stair Trainer Triple, which will electronically elevate steps and simulate a walking slope for our special needs students with cerebral palsy (CP) and other neuromuscular disorders at our new regional special education campus in Springfield Township in Holland, Ohio. It will assist our students from across Northwest Ohio with their rehabilitative, CE, occupational therapy (OT), and daily life skills needs.
A big thank you goes out to the Delta Eagles Ladies Auxiliary, which generously donated $5,000 to New Horizons Academy (NHA) and $5,000 to Special Grounds Coffee. The donations will be used for occupational therapy (OT) and vocational skills training supplies for our special needs students and young adults as they practice, master, and hopefully transition their daily life skills into job placement and work-related skills. NHA serves preschool to high school students while Special Grounds Coffee offers vocational skills training and work study placements for special needs young adults.
For the first time ever, Sara’s Garden and its special needs students were the recipients of the Lockrey Manufacturing Community Service Grant. Thank you, Lockrey and its 100% employee-owned business for designating us as one of your 2023 community service organizations! This 100% Made in the USA Toledo manufacturer and its very generous employees donated $12,000 towards Playworld’s Balance Trax Obstacle Course and Parallel Bars System for children and young adults with CP as a part of the new, fully inclusive playgrounds at New Horizons Academy’s Springfield Campus to increase physical education (PE), rehabilitation, CE, wellness, and recreational programs for special needs children.
Long-time supporter, the Roach Family Foundation donated $10,000 to help Sara’s Garden expand and improve its Vocational Skills Lab at its NHA Springfield Campus. This expansion and renovation include the addition of a three compartment sink and hand washing station, a coffee/beverage prep station, and a commercial washer and dryer with installation of commercial-grade plumbing, electrical conduits and new outlets, and dry wall and finishing. This expansion would support our special needs students’ vocational education in weighing, bagging, and beginning to market and prepare our locally blended and roasted coffees both through retail sales and wholesale efforts with all proceeds going back into supporting the vocational needs of our special education students.
