Community Champion: Lori Dillahunty
It’s time to recognize a Community Champion, an honor given to people making a positive impact in the community. It’s in partnership with Leaders Credit Union.
Three years ago, Lori Dillahunty noticed that the town of Huntingdon was missing an inclusion swing at local parks.
“Children that don’t have the strong muscle core, they’re unable to sit up in a regular swing safely. So an inclusion swing is a little larger. Sometimes they have a straps that go over the head. Sometimes they’re just snapping straps are in the front, but it holds the child in safely and it can hold a maximum amount of weight, a larger amount of weight than an average swing so that it, keeps them safe,” explained Dillahunty.
So Lori and her community began raising money.
“We started with a bake sale and with this bake sale, we were surprised that we took in almost $11,000,” shared Dillahunty.
Over the next few years, and with the help of the community, this effort would grow into something bigger than she even imagined.
“I reached out to leaders in the community I reached out to teachers special education teachers therapists I asked them to give their testimony on how we could make our parks more inclusive and so many people that weren’t just in huntingdon were in Carroll county in general, reached out and shared their hearts,” she said.
They began traveling to different playgrounds around Tennessee and surrounding states.
“We’re excited that this playground is a combination of all these pieces we have found over the past few years,” she said.
But as the idea for the park continued to grow, so did the budget to complete the project.
Through the help of the park’s board of directors, grants, and county officials they were able to raise the money needed.
“Through the process, we had a unanimous of yeses across the board for $400,000. This came right after we did an inclusion park gala. Where we raised, with sponsorships, $230,000,” Dillahunty explained.
What started as an inclusion swing, grew into surfacing to safely maneuver around instead of rocks and mulch, adult changing tables, electric sinks that adjusts high and low, and so much more.
“We’re adding a sensory wall that is not just for preschool age children, but for children that are taller, for children with autism, sensory processing disorders. We’re also adding a zipline, which has now an inclusion swing so they can have side by side play,” she shared.
Lori explains that this park is for everyone.
“There was a lot of misconception about this being a playground for just children with disabilities… it was for all. It was for all children,” she said.
Lori shares what her hope is for this park.
“I love that it’s bringing families and caregivers together. It’s getting people out of the house. My dream is this would become the norm,” Lori Dillahunty shared.
If you know someone doing good in their community, nominate them here.
