Major League Baseball

Rays team up with KaBOOM! to build local playground

Published Nov. 7, 2014 1:30 p.m. ET

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The Tampa Bay Rays teamed up with KaBOOM! on Thursday morning to build a new playground in Bradenton, Fla., for the Team Success Charter School.

According to its website, KaBOOM! is a national non-profit dedicated to saving play for America's children. Its mission is to "create great playspaces through the participation and leadership of communities. Ultimately, we envision a place to play within walking distance of every child in America."

"This has been a dream for two years for us and our kids having to call parents about kids breaking arms on playgrounds that are outdated," said Fred Spence, principal and CEO of Team Success. "I knew we needed to make a change, and thank God KaBOOM! came in and the Rays came in to help us do something that's very special for a group of kids that is very deserving."

Ninety-seven percent of the students at Team Success are on either free or reduced lunch, one of the highest in the country, according to Team Success' website.

Rather than relying on the community to rally for the cause, the Rays and KaBOOM! pitched in to make a difference.

"On a day-to-day basis it gives them an opportunity to play and have fun playing and build relationships just like we all did when we were young," Spence said. "These kids deserve the same thing. This is just going to be something special for them in their life and hopefully it's something that they'll never forget."

This marks the fifth playground the Rays have helped build with KaBOOM in the Tampa Bay region.

Rays president Brian Auld, who was once a fourth-grade teacher, worked at a school with needy children that didn't have a playground. KaBOOM! came and built one, setting in motion his idea once he joined the Rays to have the organization pitch in.

"Started doing this many years ago in part because in my last career I was a teacher and we were fortunate enough to receive a KaBOOM! playground and I saw the way that it completely rejuvenated an entire community, not just a school but the surrounding area," Auld said. "And so we're thrilled to be on the funding side of that now and the volunteer side of that too."

Volunteers that help build the playground don't just come from the Rays organization but also the school and local community.

"That our staff is able to connect and work on building something so special with the people who live here is really, really incredible," Auld said. "It helps us connect to the larger region as a whole."

You can follow Christina De Nicola on Twitter @CDeNicola13 or email her at cdenicola13@gmail.com.

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