October 2007
LONG BEACH - In advance of the annual Women's Conference at the Long Beach Convention Center, First Lady Maria Shriver, The Women's Conference staff, corporate partner BP, community partner KaBOOM!, and more than 300 volunteers will build a new playground at The New City School in Long Beach.
The playground, part of the conference's WE Build initiative, will provide a safe place for hundreds of children to play in the urban Long Beach community where no safe playgrounds or green spaces currently exist.
The new playground's design is based on drawings provided by children in the community. In addition to the playground, Shriver and a team of community volunteers will paint a wall mural and plant an organic garden, lending a spirit of creativity and natural wonder to this urban space.
"The theme of this year's Women's Conference is centered on the importance of leaving a personal legacy and passing it on to one's family and community," said California First Lady Maria Shriver.
"Long Beach has been hosting The Women's Conference for many years, and to show our appreciation, we are building this safe and inspiring place for children to play as a legacy project for the Long Beach area."
BP, the largest sponsor of The Women's Conference for the past four years, is the exclusive corporate partner for the WE Build program.�By supporting this important community project, BP is creating a lasting legacy in a community where its employees live and work.
"BP employees are proud to be rolling up their sleeves and volunteering their time to help out with such a momentous project." said Cindy Wymore, Director of Government & Public Affairs, BP America.
"We may be a global company, but we believe that real solutions begin right here in our own neighborhoods and local communities."
Logistical support for the playground project was provided by KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America.
"The Women's Conference 2007 playground project has given the students and community of The New City School, Long Beach Boulevard a great opportunity to join together and create a beautiful space," said Christina Sbarra, Director of K-8 Programs for New City Public Schools.
"For many years to come, the garden will give us a place to play, garden, make music, be with friends, and relax; and because we ourselves designed and built it, it will remind us of the great imagination, stewardship, and love that are a part of New City Public Schools."
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