Jeannie’s Place playground build: Rain teems down, but community spirit shines

Published 12:45 pm Monday, February 25, 2019

Fourteen-year-old Jeannie Null could barely contain herself during a site visit at Planet Playground Sunday.

She pushed forward in her wheelchair, taking in all of the work that hundreds of volunteers had done in her name. She grabbed her mom’s elbow and squealed with excitement at the sight of “Mamaw.” Volunteers treated her like a celebrity, stopping to take selfies with “the girl who built a playground.”

An estimated 1,500 volunteers spent seven days in red clay up to their shins, digging holes that immediately filled back up with muddy water and losing boots to the mud. Initially, site coordinators and designers hoped to finish the build by 5 p.m. on Sunday but the six days of rain delayed progress, prompting a second, four-day build scheduled March 14-17 to finish the project.

“We’ve had crazy weather and they’ve still come,” Julie Null, Jeannie’s mother, said. “And that’s just been an amazing thing for me to see. No, we’re not finished but I can’t believe how much has gotten done. I don’t think I fully understood how intricate this was going to be. I mean, we’re building little houses – pretty much – and it’s time consuming.”

An elementary school-aged Jeannie had visited the playground but couldn’t play on the wooden structure’s tight corners and raised platforms. An in-utero stroke caused young Jeannie to have seizures until a series of surgeries corrected it eight years ago, partially paralyzing Jeannie on her right side.

“This is a truly special project to us because this is going to allow Jeannie to play – she wants to play so bad. Like everybody else,” Null said. “Not only is it going to allow Jeannie to play but everybody. That’s been my goal for this – that everybody can play together. Not just children but even adults who may have physical limitations. They can come out and have a good time.”

Julia Norman, the city of Meridian government affairs representative, played a key role in coordinating the project, securing Play by Design, an Ithaca, New York-based company to design the inclusive playground. The Junior Auxiliary of Meridian shouldered the responsibility of recruiting volunteers for the week-long build while the Community Foundation of East Mississippi housed the thousands of dollars raised by the community.

“It’s been a great feeling to see so many people come out from our community,” Null said. “Hopefully (in March) we’ll have much better weather and we just need lots and lots of people to come out again. I think maybe we’ll even have more people come out because they’re going to see that it’s really happening.”

While volunteers may not seem ideal for playground building, Lee Archin, of Play by Design, said that, in adverse conditions such as this week, he prefers volunteers. 

“It’s the opposite of what you would think. I think volunteers come with the right attitude and they’re willing to learn. The spirit that they bring to the process is something that words really can’t describe,” Archin said. “It’s challenging times… you can’t pay people to work out in the rain (like that). Contractors – they’ll go home. They just won’t do it.”

Archin emphasized that the volunteer turnout didn’t hinder progress but the weather played a big role in not meeting the deadline.

“For example, setting a post when the ground’s dry, you drill a hole with an auger and the hole’s clean. Compared to what we had to deal with, the auger would dig a hole and all the mud would go back into the hole. Pretty much, we hand-dug about 400 holes and obviously that impacts the process,” Archin said. “Everyone’s attitude is amazing, given the conditions… You’d think people would get testy and frustrated and have to re-do things or whatever but there’s a community spirit that volunteers bring to the space.”

When Archin and the rest of the design team returns in March, Archin said there would be jobs for people of all abilities.

“We need people, we need contractors and we need volunteers. We’re going to spread all the mulch so there’s jobs for everyone,” Archin said. “It’s a process of inclusion and it’s not just the structure that’s left behind that’s for everyone of all abilities. Even getting there (is for everyone of all abilities). And I think that’s the beauty of it.”

Laura Moffett, a social worker with Lauderdale County Child Protective Services, had never worked with power tools before volunteering a weekend at Planet Playground. By Sunday, she was comfortable with a drill and worked with a team to prep more than 400 balusters.

“It has been an amazing experience. It’s so heart-warming to see everyone come together,” Moffett said. “It really has been an eye-opener for me to see people come together to work for a common cause. Everyone’s been so happy despite the weather and the bad circumstances. It’s really been a joyful experience.”

Moffett jokingly called herself a “professional” now with her new skills, promising she’d be back next month.

“I will be back to finish,” Moffett said. 

Lou Ann Lamar, another volunteer, proudly showed off her t-shirt from the original Planet Playground build more than 20 years ago. 

“Today, I walked around and looked and I saw people who work with the city with students, teaching them how to do things,” Lamar said. “It’s been so much fun to watch. My son started a project and told me, ‘I can’t stop and eat lunch because my project’s not finished.’ He was so into wanting to see the end of that.”

Lamar observed how different people bonded together, or that some people who only promised an hour ended up staying the entire day.

“Just watching people become involved from all walks of life for a great project,” Lamar said. 

Lamar’s son, William, spent time at the build throughout the week and raised more than $145,000 for the project with fellow Lamar School student Jake Davidson, who couldn’t participate in the build because of an injury. 

“It’s very satisfying and rewarding. All our hard work is going toward the enjoyment of other people. Little kids will get to play here and people with special needs,” William Lamar, a senior at Lamar School, said. “Me and this girl, Jordan, from West Lauderdale, built a bridge for toddlers. It was cool to see that completed (because) we worked on it all day.”

Other notable donations include the Downtown Optimist Club’s pledge to match donations of $100 or more by the end of 2018, up to $10,000 and Southern Pipe, the company where Jeannie’s father is employed, donated $25,000 to the project.

Because of the rain delay, the project incurred more expenses and is still accepting donations. Tiles with handprints and engraved pickets will be available for purchase while supplies last. To follow along with the project, visit Jeannie’s Place at Planet Playground on Facebook.

“I think there will be plenty for everybody to do that week, no matter what your skills are,” Null said. “And hopefully it won’t be muddy.”