Payday for a place to play

You’ve got Christmas for All. You’ve got Turkeys for All. Hopefully soon, you’ll have a Playground for All.

In case you missed the story, there’s something wonderful happening at Fernan STEM Academy. Teacher Pam Kiefer’s fingerprints are all over this feel-good development.

Kiefer teaches a life skills class featuring integration with special needs students. Some of the kids expressed nervousness when school began last fall. Not anymore. All these fifth-graders are now friends who have learned to do what so many of us adults still fail miserably to accomplish: They embrace those who are different and appreciate them for who they are.

As Pam says, though, they take it another step. They do.

With the help of local architect Jon Mueller, the students have launched a fundraising drive to build a playground at Fernan that all students can enjoy. Some of the features of a Playground for All include:

• An asphalt, wheelchair-accessible pathway that accommodates two wheelchairs at a time;

• Pull-out areas along the pathway housing activities like marimba instruments;

• A wheelchair swing;

• An interactive mini-theater.

The students are working feverishly to raise $50,000. Their hope is to have the playground ready when the school year begins this fall. It’s not an empty hope, either. The kids had already raised $9,000 and, the same day The Press story was published, someone donated $5,000. Other donations have been coming in.

There are many, many good causes in our community for your charitable dollars. But if helping some amazing kids create a playground that will provide joy for countless students over many years appeals to you, we encourage you to make out a check to Fernan PTA with ‘Playground for All’ as the subject, then mail or deliver it to 520 21st St., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.

We’re in awe of Pam’s kids and congratulate them heartily on both their energy and their empathy. We also figure Pam Kiefer is one heck of a fine teacher.

Thinking big, we hope Fernan is successful in creating a playground concept that will be replicated elsewhere. It seems little enough to ask for public school playgrounds where all our kids can play together.