Well, if you did not know, we have a playground at FIRM! This was a wonderful process that began back in November during the Summerset Apartment crisis. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he writes a prayer for them and attributes all the glory to “…Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…” We talked about bringing a playground to FIRM at some point in the future. It was more of a long-term vision plan and we have a lot of long-term vision plans at FIRM! However, we put this to prayer and God did what God does; “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” This playground is absolutely beautiful and it included an adult fitness center, benches, a sandbox and even a shade structure that will cover the entire playground as soon as this summer! We could not have imagined this and God made it perfect for FIRM and the community we serve.
Of course, the Lord used many people, churches, and organizations to make this a reality! Our community is powerful in this city when we all come together and unite around a vision. I have seen this once again in the building of the playground! FIRM would like to recognize the following stakeholders that helped the playground of dreams become a reality at FIRM:
- Kaiser Permanente (Funded the project, volunteers, support)
- KaBOOM! (Expertise behind the project…Brittany, Andrew, Brenna)
- United Japanese Christian Church (Food, Countless volunteer hours, funding)
- Care Fresno (Volunteers, youth activities, support, Mai Chai Yang’s leadership)
- Every Neighborhood Partnership/Artie Padilla (Provided tools, many volunteers)
- University Presbyterian Church (Deacon’s fund provided funding)
- Dale and Lesa Taunton (Provided skid steer/operator from Maurin Construction)
- Councilman Clint Olivier (Providing funding, support)
- Councilman Clint Olivier, Chief of Staff, Yahaira Figueroa (TONS of support)
- Asia Supermarkets (Donated Food for Volunteers)
- Starbucks (Shields/41, Donated Coffee for Volunteers)
- Uncle Harry’s Bagels (Donated Bagels for Volunteers)
- Lynn and Tracy Boyd (Generous funding for playground)
- AC Mart & Deli (Donated Food for Volunteers)
- Dennis & Marian Wajckus (Funding for playground)
- Fresno State University (Donated tools & many volunteers)
- KSEE 24, FOX 26, ABC 30, KGPE 47, Fresno Bee, KMJ (GREAT news coverage)
- Countless others and over 200 volunteers!
As you can see it took a whole community to build this playground at FIRM! Thank you is not enough to say to everyone who was a part of this amazing miracle, but you have been a rich blessing to generations of families in our community! Also, we want to give the glory to God who continues to do more than we could ever ask or imagine at FIRM!