Nancy Meyer, Accessibility Advocate, Named September “Vibrant Giver” by VibrantNation.com
LOUISVILLE, Ky. & EVANSTON, Ill.-(Business Wire)-September 21, 2009 - VibrantNation.com, the leading website for smart, successful women over 50, today announced that Nancy Meyer, founder of Noah's Playground for Everyone, a non-profit fundraising effort to build a fully handicap-accessible playground in Evanston, Illinois, has been named Vibrant Nation’s “Vibrant Giver” for September 2009. The playground was built to honor the memory of Meyer’s 2-1/2-year old grandson, Noah Cutter, who died in December 2005 after having been born with a rare neurological condition.
Armed only with the dream of building a playground that would be accessible to children of all abilities, Meyer and her daughter were challenged to raise $400,000 which would be matched by the City of Evanston to renovate an aging waterfront park. Together they wrote grants and hosted children’s concerts, puppet shows and silent auctions to raise funds. What started as a very personal cause became a community cause as literally thousands of individual donors, local garden clubs, corporations and foundations made this vision come to life with the opening of Noah’s Playground for Everyone in June 2008, only two and a half years after the project began.
Noah’s Playground for Everyone is designed for all children – special needs and otherwise – and allows children to play as equals by incorporating elements like accessible parking, sidewalks, and paths; a "barrier free" ramp system so that every child – in a wheelchair or otherwise – can reach the playground’s highest points; and a sandbox that is suspended to let those in wheelchairs play next to those who can stand or walk.
Today, Meyer has exceeded her initial goal of raising $400,000 and is embarking upon two related projects: to establish an endowment fund for equipment and special projects at Noah's Playground, and to begin Noah's Playground and Beyond to further encourage accessibility and inclusion in the community.
“Nancy Meyer’s passion and determination not only honor the legacy of her grandson but raise awareness of the need for accessible play areas for children of all abilities,” said Stephen Reily, founder and CEO, VibrantNation.com. “Her personal project has now become a model for other communities as she has become an inspiration to her community and beyond.”
“We believe that all children everywhere should have a playground which accommodates everyone,” commented Nancy Meyer. “Getting out the message of tolerance, acceptance and inclusion of those who may be different in any number of ways is so important to the healthy development of all children and all communities.”
VibrantNation.com will continue to announce and profile one Vibrant Giver each month. Because no one recognizes the strength in Vibrant Women better than other women like them, members of the site are invited to nominate others for this honor. To nominate a Vibrant Giver, visit http://www.VibrantNation.com/vibrant-giver.
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