Kids Around the World began a playground in Rockford at Waterworks Park at the intersection of Stanley and Preston Streets.

The Rockford based kids around the world organization has built about 20 playgrounds around the globe, usually in countries that could use a reason to smile. The playgrounds have been built in country's coping with the after-effects of war, or poverty or oppression.

Rockford is coping with its own loss: The loss of Police Detective Kevin Rice who was shot and killed on the West Side streets over a year ago.

The playground will be completed by Friday and it will be dedicated and named after the slain detective next Friday.

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Kids Around the World

• Kids Around the World is an organization that receives invitations from all over the world, "to come and build a playground.”

• More than 30 percent of the world's population are children, 14 and under! Almost two billion kids! Most countries of the world have few or no playground parks for kids. If they have them, they are in disrepair.

• The USA has tough laws on how to build playgrounds in a "safe" way. By constructing a well-designed park, that country sets the example for future playgrounds.

Playgrounds Built

• Ghana, West Africa: 3
  
• Honduras: 1
  
• India: 2
  
• Rockford, IL USA: 6
  
• Vietnam: 1
  
• Ukraine: 4
  
• Sarajevo: 1
  
• Cuba: 1
  
• Venezuela: 1
  
• Trinidad: 3

Contact Information

Phone: 1-815-229-8731
Fax: 1-815-229-8931

Address:
560 South Perryville Road
PO Box 5225
Rockford, IL. 61125

Email: playgrounds@compuserve.com

Source: Kids Around the World Web site contributed to this report.