Owatonna Junior Achievement Donates to Playground Project

St. Mary's and Owatonna Middle School sixth-graders are the latest to pitch-in toward the We All Play initiative. The grass-roots effort to fund an inclusive playground and Miracle Field at Manthey Park in Owatonna got the unanimous support of Junior Achievement for a $500 donation with the help of the Owatonna Foundation.

We All Play committee co-chair Amanda Gislason said, "We have been so blessed with the support from our community...One day soon we will be able to walk onto our new playground and Miracle League field and say that we all made this happen together." Her comments are part of a news release from the Owatonna Foundation announcement through the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism "Tuesday Talk" e-newsletter.

Foundation President Betsy Lindgren commented, "We are thrilled to participate in the JA program and to sponsor this donation to a very worthy project! All of us at the Owatonna Foundation understand the importance of teaching children about the spirit of philanthropy and the positive impact it will have for our community in the future."

Junior Achievement teaches students with an education on financial matters through hands-on activities and programs. One such activity is Biz Town which teaches students about giving back to their community.

Literature from the We All Play committee states their goal this way, "We are driven to bring equal play opportunities to Owatonna. We hope that the inclusive playground and Miracle League field will bring an opportunity to smile to kids, adults and families in our area." The playground and field "create an intergenerational playground for people of all ages and abilities."

Corky's Early Bird Softball Tournament raised money for We All Play. Several local businesses have made donations. High school sports teams have held fundraisers as well.