Date: December 18, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EZ NEW MEDIA HELPS LOS ANGELES BUILD ITS FIRST BOUNDLESS PLAYGROUND
EZ New Media, a digital video production company in Menomonie, Wisconsin, recently returned from Los Angeles where they participated in the grand opening of Shane's Inspiration, a Boundless Playground.
"Shane's Inspiration is a playground created so that children of all abilities can play together -- whether they're in a wheel chair or have other physical or mental disabilities," stated Jim Zons, owner of EZ New Media. EZ New Media produced a fund raising video that was instrumental in helping raise the one million dollars needed to construct the playground in LA's Griffith Park.
Zons got involved in the project when contacted in September of 1999 by Barry Sohnen of Sohnen Enterprises in Los Angeles. Sohnen, is a video production client of EZ New Media.
"Barry serves on the Board of Directors for the non-profit group that was trying to raise money to build Shane's Inspiration," stated Zons. "Impressed by the work we had done for him in the past, Barry approached us about donating our time and resources to create a video to help his group's fund-raising efforts."
The goal of the video was to show potential donors what a truly "Boundless Playground" looked like. Since at the time there were no Boundless Playgrounds on the west coast, Zons traveled to New England where he video taped several Boundless Playgrounds in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
"It was a real eye-opening experience," said Zons. "I had no idea how truly inaccessible most playgrounds in America are for children who are disabled or physically challenged in any way until I saw these playgrounds in New England. I needed to see them with my own eyes ... and that made me realize how important this video would be for the fund raising efforts back in LA."
The Boundless Playgrounds Zons visited in New England featured numerous play structures designed for children of all abilities. Many structures had ramps making them accessible to children in wheel chairs. Instead of sand boxes, the playgrounds feature sand "tables" so that children in wheel chairs can play in the sand without leaving their chairs. All play structures throughout the playgrounds are surrounded with a specialized type of foam that protects children from injuries.
After returning from New England, Zons spent the next two months putting the video together, incorporating additional footage of non-accessible playgrounds in Wisconsin. Sohnen and the other individuals involved with the Shane's Inspiration fund-raising efforts were impressed with the final results and credited the video with being instrumental in their successful fund raising efforts.
"Through the help of Jim Zons' video, we were able to communicate the need for Boundless Playgrounds and accurately portray the accessible play opportunities that these recreational environments provide," stated Catherine Curry-Williams, founder of Shane's Inspiration.
"Superb, superb!" exclaimed Sohnen. "I am moved by it every time I watch it," he added.
The video has won several regional and national awards and since being completed has aired in part on scores of television stations across the country as well as CNN and ABC's Good Morning America.
On Thursday, September 21, 2000, Zons was on hand along with scores of volunteers and representatives from the local and national media as Shane's Inspiration was unveiled to the City of Los Angeles ... all to the delight of hundreds of children in wheel chairs who had been bussed to Griffith Park for the event.
"It was truly exciting to be there for the grand opening ... to know that our efforts contributed to this event was quite fulfilling," said Zons. "Seeing smiles on the faces of all those children made it a very rewarding experience."
Shane's Inspiration was founded in April, 1998 by Catherine Curry-Williams and Scott Williams in memory of their son, Shane, who passed away two weeks after birth. Had Shane lived, he would have spent his life in a wheel chair. When the Williams discovered their son would have had no public park in which to play, they made it their mission to build this very special playground, where children with disabilities can play side-by-side with their able-bodied peers at the highest level of their ability. To learn more, visit www.shanesinspiration.org
Boundless Playgrounds National Resource Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping communities throughout the world create universally accessible playgrounds for their children. The organization, headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut, was founded in 1997 by an enthusiastic team of parents and professionals. More information about Boundless Playgrounds can be found at www.boundlessplaygrounds.org.
EZ New Media is owned and operated by Jim Zons. Besides television commercials, video production and streaming video content for the Internet, EZ New Media also develops interactive web sites and assists businesses with their Internet and ecommerce strategies. To learn more, visit www.ezlink.net.
(This photo is available in JPEG & TIFF format below. If you need another format sent
to you via email --- contact press@ezlink.net.
Video footage of Boundless Playgrounds in New England is also available in a variety of
formats --- contact press@ezlink.net for copies of video footage ....
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