Dustin's Adventureland received a $23,000 First Federal Charitable Foundation grant it will use to add fencing and security cameras to Schuylkill County's first all-inclusive special needs playground.
Dustin's Adventureland will be located within the Minersville recreational complex. Schuylkill County currently has no playground that serves people with special needs. The closest all-inclusive playgrounds are at least a one-hour drive in one direction from the area, which is a far distance for parents with children who have special needs to travel. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, playgrounds are required to be accessible to those in wheelchairs or to those who use mobility aids to access the grounds, but they are not required to have accessibility for use of the equipment.
Dustin's Adventureland will not only have access to its park grounds through rubberized surfacing, but will include accessible equipment for individuals with special needs to use. Its current plan includes sensory panels and free-standing items, wheelchair rocker and ramps, swings, ziplines, spinner, and communal eating areas.
Jeffrey Dunkel, Vice President of Dustin's Adventureland, said, “Our area lacks resources
and activities for children with disabilities. We want to make sure all children enjoy life to the fullest. We are creating a place where these children can go out and interact with others and enjoy things a typical child could. It will be a place where a child who is handicapped can swing with their family members, laugh together and create memories. These children stay at home due to the lack of accessories needed for them. They are not taken into consideration. They are the forgotten ones and no child should be forgotten. We need to bring awareness to the area and this is our way of doing that. In the future we look forward to bringing more adventures.”
The First Federal Charitable Foundation was established to support worthwhile community causes. It strives to nurture nonprofit institutions and programs that will effectively serve those in need from the community, empower nonprofit institutions and programs that will expand their presence in and services to the area, and promote opportunities for new nonprofit institutions and programs that will serve the unserved.
Nonprofit organizations with a 501(c)(3) IRS designation that are located in Luzerne, Schuylkill, Carbon and Columbia counties are eligible to apply. Any organization whose headquarters is in another county but services either Luzerne, Schuylkill, Carbon or Columbia counties may apply for a grant to be used in one of those counties.
For more information on the foundation or to obtain a grant application, email