Nearly 70 community members turned out to help renovate existing equipment and install new playground equipment at Butler Memorial Park as part of a Butler AM Rotary service project.

BUTLER — It was about way more than just fun and games for Butler AM Rotary members Saturday while installing new playground equipment in Butler's Memorial Park.

“We call this Phase 2,” said Steven Green, a board member of AM Rotary.

Phase 1 was the installation of one piece of play equipment last October.

More than 65 volunteers turned out by 10 a.m. Saturday for Phase 2, which saw the installation of three new play sets and the renovation of existing equipment.

Some pieces just needed a new coat of special acrylic paint. Others just needed to be powerwashed. The rest were torn out and rebuilt by volunteers on-site.

All the equipment, according to Green, were chosen with care.

“We want these play sets to be for kids with special needs (or) disabilities,” Green said. “We want them to have an equal oporuntity (to play).”

Sidewalks recently installed by community volunteers allow for easy wheelchair access to the playground. Newly engineered mulch in the “fall zones” around the equipment compacts so wheelchairs can roll around each piece.

Youth played an important roll in the project. Youth worked alongisde adults Saturday to build, install and fix the playground. Their presence was in line with Rotary ideals, according to Green.

“One of the things that's really important for us is we train the generation after us,” Green said. “We're trying to be good role models.”

This is an excerpt of an article that will appear in Monday's newspaper. To read the full story and learn more about this community project, pick the Butler Eagle or subscribe online.