The Playground is Open! Celebrating Grand Opening Day at St. Joe’s

By Tiffany White | Photos: Jim Mahanes 

Featured photo (left to right): Julie Greenwell, Paige Cook, Ladine Gray, Joann Childers, and Cortney Emberson

 

On October 15, we celebrated the grand opening of our residential playground, now renamed Wings of Hope Playground and Wellness Complex by our kids. After two years of planning, our St. Joe’s kids finally have a space where they can play basketball, tackle the parkour course, unwind in the pavilion, or take a stroll along the walking trail. We asked a few of our attendees to share their thoughts about what makes the completion of the project meaningful for them.

 

 

“It’s important for children to have a fun, supportive place where they can enjoy themselves and simply be kids. I believe experiences like this plant seeds. These children may one day become nurses, doctors, teachers, and so much more. If we can spark a little joy and give them a happy memory during a difficult time, that’s why we do this.”

— Kimberly Marshall

 

“There’s a familiar line I love: ‘I love it when a plan comes together.’ It’s nice to see the project take physical shape after so many people worked hard to build the infrastructure these kids need.”

— Mike Hagan

 

 

“The trustees wanted to do something special for the 48 children here. We wanted to give them a place of their own, with basketball courts, a learning center, and an activity center. This was all for the kids.”

— Ben Turner

 

“I was CEO here from 2014 until I retired at the end of 2024, and seeing the evolution of this campus has been a dream come true. When I arrived, we had just broken ground on residential cottages for the children who live here. Over the past 10 years, their needs have become more complex and their challenges more severe. They need safe places to play and learn. Some days, they can’t leave campus for activities, unlike when I first arrived. This campus is vital to nurturing our children and creating safe, healing spaces where they can address their needs and grow within our community.”

— Grace Akers

 

 

“We’ve been involved with St. Joe’s for more than 15 years, looking for ways to give back. This playground really touched our hearts because it’s about the kids, fun, and activity. It was a perfect fit for my wife’s business and mine. We’d considered other opportunities but waited for a chance to get more involved with this project because it checked so many of our boxes. We also got to involve our sons, Braxton and Tyson, who are 24 and 19, making it a meaningful family project. Seeing the finished playground come together over these past few weeks has been incredibly rewarding.”

— Aaron Flaker

 

“I’m thinking about everyone who helped bring this project to fruition. It’s easy to overlook all the fundraising and the people who had the vision to bring in a design team and do the work. Now we can see what’s been built: something high-quality that will last and means so much for the kids. The pavilion is fantastic. We’re proud and happy to be part of it.”

— Kristin Booker

 

 

“The basketball court is really important to us. We’ve helped make basketball available to kids in other places, too. At a picnic several years ago, a boy from one of the cottages told me he was sad because he had a half-court at home but nowhere to play basketball here. So, when the playground project came up, Sarah and I felt strongly that it should include a full court—not a half-court—so the kids could play five-on-five. Being active and playing sports can be healthy in so many ways, and we’re really pleased with how it turned out.” — Craig Dilger

 

“This project means a lot to our family. Codey and Brandon were here, and when we started the project, we asked them if they wanted to support it. They were all in, but their condition was that it had to benefit the kids. They’d seen things come in that didn’t really serve or support the children. When we walked around, one example they gave was that the splash pad used to be a hose. They lived in the dorms, and there wasn’t anything like this here then. They were excited to support the St. Joe’s community because of the impact this will have on the kids. They’ll know this is theirs — something no one can take away. They’ve lost so much and had so much taken from them, so I think that’s huge.”

— Joel Zipperle

 

 

“Kids deserve a safe, well-built place to play — one that gives them more than the bare minimum and lets them feel ownership and pride. This playground was done beautifully, and children will appreciate it for years to come.”

— Kathy Wilson

 

 “It’s amazing to see this project come to fruition. A project like this takes a lot of teamwork and collaboration. We had a great group involved, and we’re thrilled to see the finished product.”

— Greg Oakley

 

P.S. How our kids helped design the playground from day one and what the new complex means for therapeutic healing.