A Sept. 21 open house will showcase the new playground at Hand in Hand, a fully inclusive childcare center that serves children from birth to 12 years old.
Adrian Klenz, executive director of The Reach Foundation, said the project “will play a significant role in the quality of programming at Hand in Hand.” The foundation led efforts that raised more than $41,000 to fund the renovation of the previous playground.
Hand in Hand is located at 800 Wisconsin St., in Building 13 of the Banbury Place complex. It is part of the Reach, Inc. family and has been in business for 22 years.
The Sept. 21 open house, hosted by Reach, Inc. and The Reach Foundation, will take place at Hand in Hand from 4 to 7 p.m. It will feature appetizers, refreshments and cake.
Funding for the renovation came from donations and grants as well as from special events put on by Hand in Hand staff, Klenz said in an e-mail. Donations came from more than 50 businesses, organizations and individuals, he said.
Business donors included Wells Fargo, Xcel Energy and Scheels, he said, along with support from the Eau Claire Community Foundation and the Wal-Mart Foundation. Klenz also paid tribute to the board of directors of Reach, Inc., and The Reach Foundation for their donations to the project.
“We would like to thank all the donors and our community for making this renovation possible,” Klenz said. “We look forward to it serving children for years to come.”