Volunteers with the Home Depot Foundation and the National Ability Center broke ground on improvements at the National Ability Center campus this week.
Almost 400 volunteers from both organizations spent the day working on various projects around the campus. Many of the projects were aimed at making the campus even more accessible, including new boardwalks and the installation of a new playground by the Lodge. Volunteers also built new picnic tables, painted murals, planted trees and built new shade structures around the equestrian area.
The Home Depot Foundation volunteers pose for a group photo while working on renovation projects at the National Ability Center on Wednesday. Credit: Christopher Reeves/For The Park Record 
From left, The Home Depot Foundation volunteers Jarrod Ison, Journey Brown and Jared Allen paint benches at the National Ability Center Park City campus on Wednesday. Credit: Christopher Reeves/For The Park Record 
Alex Stroud aligns wood to be installed for a boardwalk around the ropes course at the National Ability Center campus in Park City. Credit: Christopher Reeves/For The Park Record 
Taylor Quinn, left, and Cassidy Craige ride the new merry-go-round at the National Ability Center while Corrie Paige Miller pushes them. Credit: Christopher Reeves/For The Park Record 
Vince Izzo, left, and Scott Schnurr install metal roofing on a sun shade structure at the National Ability Center horse corrals. Credit: Christopher Reeves/For The Park Record 
The Home Depot Foundation volunteers work on painting and constructing Disability Pride flags at the National Ability Center. Credit: Christopher Reeves/For The Park Record 
About 500 volunteers from The Home Depot Foundation gather for a presentation on Wednesday. Credit: Christopher Reeves/For The Park Record 
Meghan Campano, center, and other National Ability Center employees take a spin on the new merry-go-round at the National Ability Center. Credit: Christopher Reeves/For The Park Record 
Brad Bauerkemper paints the rainbow colors on a Disability Pride flag at the National Ability Center. Credit: Christopher Reeves/For The Park Record
“This is the best of humanity,” said National Ability Center CEO Willie Ford, “where people give up time out of their day to give back to a cause that makes communities better.”
For a few volunteers, this was their second time building a playground at the National Ability Center.
When the Home Depot Foundation installed the first playground, Monte Meier had just competed in the 2002 Winter Paralympic Games and won a silver medal for slalom racing. The Home Depot Foundation sponsored him as a Paralympic athlete, so when the foundation went to work at the National Ability Center, Monte volunteered his time.
Tracy Meier was an intern at the National Ability Center when she volunteered at the first playground installation. Now, 25 years later, Tracy and Monte are married. Tracy is the center’s chief programming and education officer, and Monte is a five-time Paralympian with medals and championship wins from all around the world.
“It’s a full circle moment,” Monte said. “Our kids play here, and thinking about all the people and all the use it’s had in the past 25 years, and for Home Depot to come back and build it again, it’s exciting.”
“The playground is a true representation of inclusive communities,” Tracy said.
It might be hard for someone to recognize the differences between this playground and others. The accessible features are included in the playground design with elements like swings that allows people who use wheelchairs to stay seated, ramps with access to the play structure and support bars to transfer from a wheelchair to the slides.
The playground, which will be completed later this month, was designed to support parallel play, Ford explained, so people with different abilities can all use the same area at the same time.
Ford described an “impact first” philosophy that guides his work at the center.
“Impact first means everything you do is about how you create more impact for more people. That’s what we talk about every day here,” said Ford.
One of the individuals impacted by the work done at the National Ability Center is Mike Rice, who has Down syndrome and worked as a Creating Opportunities for Achievement, or COACH, intern this summer.
COACH is a supported internship program that helps people with disabilities build job skills while working at the National Ability Center’s recreation programs.
“COACH internships are designed to help individuals with disabilities strengthen independence, develop vocational skills, and grow as self-advocates through hands-on experience at the National Ability Center,” said Kate McMahon, the nonprofit’s social media and content creator specialist.
Rice said he specifically developed his communication skills this summer. He added that he’s been able to help campers communicate with staff and learn about safety, equipment and activities, and teach people about what the National Ability Center does.
“A lot of people have joined us for making a disability flag,” Rice said.
For Rice, the Disability Pride flag represents support and understanding.
The flag has five multi-colored diagonal stripes across a charcoal grey background. It represents different disabilities and the different experiences people can have with them. The flags, built as small wooden plaques, will be given as gifts to program participants. While he worked with other volunteers on the project, Rice said he was educating them on the programs at the National Ability Center, including his internship.
“I want people to come here and show them what NAC is and what a disability is,” Rice said. “I want it to be all one community.”
That kind of community is built through communication, Rice said.