Let Them Be Kids

Let Them Be Kids is an all volunteer, non-profit organization created to build community capacity on the grassroots level, while building playgrounds, skate parks and fitness parks across Canada. These projects leave a legacy of community members who are inspired and better equipped to lay a strong foundation for a brighter tomorrow.

Monday, June 13, 2011

TADA!!!

WE DID IT!  
~thank you to all who made this possible~

More pictures and words to follow soon.

Check out the news clip (click on link below)

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Here we go kids - it's the big day!!

BUILD DAY IS FINALLY HERE....
Thank you to ALL of those who have 
made this possible.
Watch us on the link below or stay tuned for pictures.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Counting Down Fast!

Here we are just 2 sleeps away!
Things are starting to take shape...
here is a sneak-peek:

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Only ..... 7 .....more sleeps!

Excitement is brewing here at 
Tecumseh Annex 
as we get ready to play on our 
BRAND NEW PLAYGROUND!

First step - out with the old!!




Get ready to roll up your sleeves and help 
us BUILD...but be prepared for FUN too! 
June 11 we will come together for 
excellent food, a full day of local 
entertainment, and supervised 
children’s activities!   

Together we will create our:
 - spectacular Playground Structure
 - new 5 Senses Garden
 - much anticipated Peace Place
 - very cool Labyrinth 

Quite a transformation in one day!!!
The yards will look fantastic ALL ‘ROUND!  

 Please see our list of needs in the column on the right, and lend a hand!!
Looking forward to seeing you soon...

Thursday, May 26, 2011

WHAT A ~ TIKI PARTY ~ IT WAS!!

Our TIKI PARTY for the playground 
was a huge success. 
We raised over $6,000 in once night! 
And we had a ton of FUN!!!
Thanks to EVERYONE who made it possible.
Special Thank You to our fantastic sponsors:

Our one and only ~ Vancouver's #1 Caterer....


and Kensington Community Centre!

Aloha from our committee!
DJ NKLB...kept the tunes spinning
It was a full TIKI HUT
some of our Silent Auction items from KCC Pottery Club!
Limbo Limbo
Ohhhh the Chocolate Fountain!!!!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Community Donations from near and far - we are so thankful!

 Special thank you to Ironwood Dental Centre




Sorrento Elementary School in BC,
surprised us with a generous donation!
Like us, Sorrento Elementary, won an award from Let Them Be Kids last
year and completed their playground build 
in May 2010,check out their blog
Thanks Sorrento Elementary!
 




Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Thank you to some recent community donors!!

 London Drugs joins our pack of WOLF Donors!
Thank you for the support in our community!



The Medicine Shoppe joins our BEAR Donors!
PLUS  - the location at 2030 Kingsway in Vancouver, will donate $2 from every prescription filled to our project!!! 
Thank you for the continued support! 
 

Friday, May 6, 2011

Presenting our NEW PLAYGROUND....

Thank you to all of our project supporters!!
Check our new playground design - the kids are THRILLED!!

We have just 5 weeks until Build Day and we still need to raise $24,000
Please join us as we continue to encourage 
both Corporate and individual
donors to help to fulfill our kids' dreams.

This is the view from the WEST/from school
 
This is the view from the EAST/cedar bushes

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Bottle Drive raises $1,304.82 !!!!

Thanks to everyone who helped out!!!
Volunteers from our team and community helped in so many ways 
- organized the event, donated bottles, made deliveries, sorted/counted the 
bottles/bags/boxes, brought snacks and refreshments, kept the tunes playing 
and the kids happy...
Special thanks to the sun, glad you stayed all day!


Thanks to TIM HORTONS for the afternoon perk!


Wednesday, April 27, 2011

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

 The Tecumseh Annex Playground Committee would like to announce that we will dedicate our playground to 
 Kinuko Laskey (1929-2004)
who was a long-time resident of our neighbourhood.   Kinuko was a Hiroshima survivor and the founder of the Canadian Society of Atomic Bomb Survivors.  She devoted her life to peace education, particularly for children.   
Please see  http://www.members.shaw.ca/kinukomemorial/kinuko_laskey.html.


Friday, April 15, 2011

First Corporate Donor - PriceSmart

Way to go Playground Fans! We have raised $18,000 to date.  
 
HUGE thank you to our first corporate donor, PriceSmart
 

Our neighbourhood grocery store has generously become our first 
WOLF DONOR
 We appreciate your support for our project!!


Farewell to the Old Cherry Tree

Removing a tree was not part of our original plans. It was brought to our attention that this great climbing spot and gathering place was at the end of it's life span.It will be missed by many, but remembered fondly.  
As we bid farewell to the old cherry tree, 
we look forward to planting new seedlings of life on Build Day!  

Friday, March 18, 2011

What a great week!!

Thanks to families who had their portraits done, 
you look MARVELOUS!  


High five to our "Green Day" kids who, lead by 
Mrs. Kroeker's class, raised over $135 on March 17.  





That brings us up to a whopping. . . . $15,000!!!

Next up is our neighbourhood Bottle Drive.  
Come to Tecumseh Annex on April 30 with your empty beverage containers!

Happy Spring Break and remember wherever you go, 
spread the word about our amazing playground project!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Help raise money for the Annex, come to Family Photo Night March 16th!

Way to go Tecumseh Annex Supporters!  We have climbed several thousand dollars this week!! Thanks for your donations for our upcoming Family Photo Night, March 16 at the school.  Kudos to our students, who are getting involved too.... Looking forward to "GREEN" day next week!!  We are also gearing up for a huge bottle drive and Tim Hortons will be there serving coffee and doughnuts!!! Stay tuned for more details.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Steve Cardwell, Superintendent of Schools in Vancouver, joins the Dot-mocracy in action

We were very happy to have Steve Cardwell, the Superintendent of Schools in Vancouver, be on hand to witness the kids vote for their favorite playground play-structures.



Every child at the Annex had their vote, as well as the preschoolers from Kensington Community Center. The selected list of play structures has been created through the Dot-mocracy and will be passed on to the playground designers to make the kids' dreams a reality.




The kids also enjoyed drawing pictures of their dream playgrounds  and colouring their own feathers.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Dot-mocracy results and potluck on Feb 21st at 6:15 in the gym!

On Feb 21st  children of the community will be choosing their favourite playground structures from a selection provided by Belair Recreation. The adults of the community will be designing other areas of the play space with children in mind: a community garden, outdoor classroom, sports field, black top improvements are among suggestions we have received. 

Everyone is invited to the gym at 6:15 p.m, to find out what the kids want for their new playground, and to get all the school news! As well, bring a tasty dish for the potluck to be shared at the unveiling of the dot-mocracy results. 

Monday, February 7, 2011

Our mural was in the Vancouver Courier





Every student flexed their creative muscles earlier in the year to collaboratively paint a beautiful mural of people, bugs and animals against a backdrop of mountains, trees and streams. This was planned and created with our resident artist and mom Rachel Sawatsky.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Ian Hill visited our playground Tuesday, Feb. 1st

We were very excited to have Ian Hill,  the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Let Them Be Kids, visit our old playground and discuss plans for our playground build fundraising.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Tick Tock!

Time is running out on our playground, a sad little structure of rotting wood and grimy plastic. In September, one of our Grade One students got an infection from the wood chip base layer and she was on antibiotics for months. In October, we found out from the Vancouver School Board that the structure will be removed within two years and there are no VSB plans to replace it. Are we depressed about this? Sort of, but we are not done yet. The tiny but fierce Tecumseh Annex PAC has already saved $2,500 through weekly pizza lunches, raffles, snack sales, juice box recycling, community barbeques and movie nights.

We have been awarded!

We are excited to let everyone know that we have been awarded a Let Them Be Kids Helping Hands Award! This Award will help us with the installment of a new play structure in our play yard. Stay tuned for more exciting news coming soon!