This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

The Sandy Ground Project: Where Angels Play

As we remember the victims of Sandy Hook today, we are honored to share an unbelievable story about the powerful bonds we have to one another and how those bonds can help us out of the darkest times into brighter days in unexpected ways.

In the days and weeks following the 9-11 terror attacks, the New Jersey Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association in Rahway, NJ suffered dearly. Support and encouragement came in from across the country, and around the world. One small package stood out in particular to Bill Lavin, Elizabeth, NJ firefighter and current President of the NJFMBA. It was a packet of letters from a 3rd grade class in a small town Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The students had each written a personal letter to the firefighters thanking them for being so brave when our country needed them most.

Fast forward four years to 2005. Hurricane Katrina. When the storm tore through the Gulf Coast communities, Lavin and the NJFMBA immediately started checking on the kids from Bay St. Louis.

Find out what's happening in Fairfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“We just knew we had to check on those kids,” said Lavin’s daughter MaryKate. “Their letters really stuck with all of us. They didn’t know us, they didn’t know our families but they took the time to tell us they cared. And now they needed us to care.”

Not long after Katrina, dozens of firefighters from New Jersey flew to Bay St. Louis  to help rebuild wherever, and whatever, they could. In particular, they built three playgrounds.

Find out what's happening in Fairfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Fast forward again to 2012. When Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc along the eastern seaboard, boxes and boxes of Christmas gifts and other supplies for displaced residents arrived in New Jersey from Bay St. Louis. It’s this incredible circle of repaying kindness with kindness that has led to a moving, and unique, tribute to the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

“By December of last year everyone was busy trying to rebuild their homes,” said Lavin. “But when the Newtown shootings happened everything stopped and we just thought ‘We have to do something.’ ”  

Bill Lavin had the idea to build 26 playgrounds in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut and came up with the Sandy Ground Foundation. The playgrounds are designed to be living memorials to each of the 26 victims of the Sandy Hook shootings and also to help restore some of the coastline communities hit hard by Hurricane Sandy.

To Lavin and those involved with the project, it’s all about paying it forward.

“When Sandy Hook happened it was so clear to us that nothing was more important than making sure people remember these children and teachers and making sure their spirits live on,” said MaryKate Lavin.

To date, five playgrounds are complete, three of them right here in Connecticut in Ansonia, Stratford and Westport. Lavin says they moved ahead with the idea only after getting the blessing of each of the victims’ families. She says some families are very involved with the playground design, even down to the color schemes.

No one at the Foundation is paid for their work – it’s entirely volunteer. The playgrounds are funded with support from other foundations, in-kind contributions and, in large part, private contributions. If you’d like to help out you can learn more at theSandy Ground Project website.

Our thanks to the NJFMBA for sharing this incredible story with us and for the comfort and support they are bringing to Connecticut. If you know an individual or group giving back to the community please be sure to let us know so we can share their story next month. 

Meantime, more playgrounds are on the way to Connecticut including one in Fairfield. Below is a full list of the playgrounds that have been built and the name of the victim they honor as well as a list of approved playgrounds waiting to be built.

Completed: 

Celebrating the Life of Victoria Soto, Stratford, CT

Celebrating the Life of Dylan Hockley, Long Lots Elementary School: 13 Hyde Lane Westport, CT.

Celebrating the Life of Anne Marie Murphy, Anne Marie Murphy Memorial Playground 1099 Ocean Avenue Sea Bright, NJ

Celebrating the Life of Jack Pinto, Firemen's Park, Union Beach, NJ

Celebrating the Life of Catherine Hubbard, John Predengast Elementary School, Ansonia, CT 

The following playgrounds have been approved:

Celebrating the Life of Rachel Davino, Asbury Park, NJ

Celebrating the Life of Olivia Engel, Manasquan, NJ

Celebrating the Life of Jessica Rekos, Fairfield, CT

Celebrating the Life of Emilie Parker, New London, CT

Celebrating the Life of Daniel Barden, Veteran's Park Highlands, NJ

Celebrating the Life of Chase Kowalski, Normandy Beach, NJ

Celebrating the Life of Noah Pozner, Rockaway, NY

Celebrating the Life of Benjamin Wheeler, Ocean City, NJ

Celebrating the Life of Grace McDonnell, Mystic Seaport, CT

NOTE: All photos courtesy Sandy Ground Foundation 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?