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Michael Simpson of Kal Tire Prince Albert presents an $18,000 cheque to Mickey MacGillivray (left) and Kristy Thompson of Hope's Home. (Susan McNeil/paNOW)
Hopes Home

Donation will soften play area for Hope’s Home

Jun 24, 2022 | 11:27 AM

By the end of summer, the backyard of Hope’s Home will have some recycled rubber to make paths and to soften areas like under swing sets.

The upgrades to the play area are thanks to an $18,000 donation from Kal Tire and will make a big change for children with mobility issues, said Mickey MacGillivray, fundraising manager for Hope’s Home.

“We have lots of children who are either in wheelchairs or who use walking devices and getting into our backyard is not easy and for some impossible,” she explained.

The grant money will pay to put recycled rubber from tires under the swings to make for softer landings and will make pathways that allow children who are in wheelchairs to wheel up to where they want to go easily.

“Hope’s Home is all about inclusion. We don’t want somebody to sit in the corner because they can’t get somewhere so this is huge it just allows everybody to access the play area in the backyard,” said MacGillivray.

The money comes to Hope’s Home through the Kal Tire Replay program, which any non-profit can apply for donations that involve anything to do with rubber, such as shingles or paving.

“It’s a recycled product instead of mulch and gravel in playgrounds, it’s softer and it’s more safe for kids,” said Michael Simpson, head of Prince Albert Kal Tire.

Kal Tire gives out grant money annually to organizations that apply. This year, Hope’s Home was the only recipient in the Prince Albert area.

susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @princealbertnow

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