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SECOND CHANCE PLAYGROUNDS <br />HOW KIDS AROUND THE WORLD GIVES NEW LIFE <br />TO PLAY EQUIPMENT ACROSS THE GLOBE <br />By Bethani Gerhard, Minnesota Recreation and Park Association <br />14 MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks • www.mnrpa.org Winter 2022 • MINNESOTA Recreation and Parks 15 <br />Children across the world can enjoy <br />playgrounds, thanks to Kids Around the <br />World, an Illinois-based non-profit that <br />provides play structures to developing <br />countries. Playgrounds that are about to <br />be destroyed can be updated and shipped <br />to areas where children have never had a <br />playground. <br />“These playgrounds are so much more <br />than a playground to these children,” says <br />Paul Bierhaus, Twin Cities Board member <br />for Kids Around the World. “These <br />playgrounds change communities and <br />offer children a safe place to play. They <br />also provide a central and safe community <br />gathering place for families.” <br />Launched in 1994, Kids Around the <br />World initially focused on donating new <br />playground equipment. The organization <br />later decided to recycle playground <br />equipment, rather than sending new <br />equipment. Since 2011, Kids Around the <br />World has shipped hundreds of used <br />playgrounds to 64 difference countries. <br />The number will continue to climb as more <br />communities learn of this great option for <br />their playground equipment. <br />In 2010, the first playground in Minnesota <br />to be torn-down and shipped by Kids <br />Around the World was Shilo Park in <br />Plymouth. The second playground was at <br />Colby Lake in Woodbury. Both of these <br />playground structures were sent on a truck