As a private citizen and a member of the Commission on Disability, I am delighted to offer my strong endorsement for the adaptive playground at Marathon School.

Having lived with the challenges of disability as a child with polio in the 1950s and 1960s, I can personally attest to the significance of accessible playgrounds. I utilized the same playground as everyone else, navigating the equipment with the assistance of crutches and braces. To access the slide, I had to climb the “millions” of stairs. If I fell, I did what I was supposed to do — get back up and “carry on!” The same applied to the other outdated metal equipment. This was the norm back then, as we were unaware of alternative solutions. Can you envision the joy it will bring to children of all ages to play safely outside on equipment tailored to their needs?

I was chuckling, thinking to myself that if we had an accessible playground back then, I was the only kid with a disability at the school and in my neighborhood, so it would have been all mine! “Punky’s Playground!” Of course, I would have shared it with everyone else, too!

You’ll never know how much this means to me. I am truly grateful for all the people and committees involved in planning this most awesome play space ever! Kudos to you all, you hold a special place in my heart. I’ll definitely be one of the first to sit and watch other people enjoying it!

— Nancy “Punky” Drawe, Hopkinton

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