Las Vegas wasn`t built in a day, but this playground will be

Computer Associates International, Inc and attendees of its caworld conference are joining forces with KaBOOM! and members of the Las Vegas community to build an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant playground at the non-profit Club. Despite its 40-year history in the valley, the North Las Vegas unit of the Boys & Girls Clubs has never had a playground for its members.

"Our mission is to help youth, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, realise their full potential and ultimately become productive, responsible and caring citizens," said Angela Quinn, president of The Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas.

"This is best accomplished as children gain confidence in themselves and the world around them. Their ability to socially interact with peers in a safe environment is essential to their stability. The business professionals who have dedicated their time during this busy conference have donated more than a playground to these children and we thank them for their kindness."

This project is the 45th collaborative construction effort involving CA, the world`s largest management software company, and KaBOOM!, a national non-profit organisation that facilitates the construction of safe playgrounds and skateparks. In an ongoing initiative, CA provides funding and employee and customer volunteers to build playgrounds around the world to benefit communities in need of safe, accessible and well-designed places for children to play. This is the first project to coincide with caworld, CA`s annual technology conference and exhibition that is being held Sunday through Thursday of the coming week at the Venetian Las Vegas and Sands Expo and Convention Centre. Many of the volunteers are user group presidents who are in town to attend the conference.

"With the increase in child and adolescent obesity rates, it is vital that children have places in their neighbourhoods they can visit for unstructured physical activity. The benefits for their physical, social and emotional, development are lasting and very important," said Darell Hammond, chief executive officer and co-founder of KaBOOM!. "CA has been a great partner in our effort to address the nation`s play space deficit and we`re honoured to be part of caworld again this year. Thousands of conferences are held by companies each year, but to our knowledge, none have ever left behind such a substantial gift to the hosting community."

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For several years, KaBOOM! has been one of the non-profit partners featured in the Community Relations Pavilion located in the caworld exhibition centre.

The play space was designed with the help of children, ages 5 to 18, who participate in the North Las Vegas Club`s social, educational, cultural and recreational activities. In March, several children participated in a Design Day where they were given the opportunity to draw their dream playgrounds. Planners used the drawings as part of the blueprint for the new playground.

"There are a lot of winners associated with this project," said Kevin Long, senior vice-president of employee and community relations at CA. "Community members help their children develop by providing a safe place for physical, imaginative and cooperative play. CA employee volunteers, caworld attendees, user group presidents and customers get to know each other better by working side by side towards a worthy goal. KaBOOM! and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas further their mission of supporting our youth. And, most importantly, kids have fun!"