Jack Ready Imagination Park: Ensuring Every Child Has a Place to Play

One in every 10 children in San Luis Obispo County has special needs for physical disabilities, serious illnesses, injuries or birth defects. Unfortunately, these children have not had a fully accessible park to play outside like other children. Every child needs a fun, safe and beautiful place to enjoy the sunshine, which is why Jack’s Helping Hand is building a park to give children of all abilities a place to play.

Jack’s Helping Hand was founded in memory of Jack Ready, whose three-year struggle with a rare form of brain cancer ended in 2004. The Jack Ready Imagination Park has been one of the organization’s primary projects the past few years. Builders broke ground in April 2014, bathrooms were installed in 2015, roads were recently paved through the park and the next step is the playground. The park would not be possible without the generosity of Souza Construction and J.W. Design and Construction, who are donating their time to help build the park.

The Jack Ready Imagination Park will be the first outdoor park of its kind in the 400 miles of coastal California between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The entire park will be accessible by foot, bike, stroller, wheelchair and walker. Features of the 33-acre park on the Nipomo Mesa will include themed play structures, sand play area, soccer and baseball fields, basketball courts, and a therapeutic equestrian riding center.

In order to help fund the park, Jack’s Helping Hand organized the Imagination Park Fall Classic (IPFC), an annual golf tournament that will take place on September 9 that raises money for the park. The IPFC is held at the Monarch Dunes Golf Club and brings together sponsors, families and community members to golf, eat, drink and play.

There’s still time to join the golf tournament, which will involve fun course contests like the popular GET IN THE CIRCLE! Each golfer will receive a polo shirt, a gift bag, a day of VIP golf, raffle tickets for prizes, amazing food, plus a chance to win big in the $10,000 putting contest. A minimum donation of $200 per player is required to register.

If you’re more interested in the goods rather than the golfing, you can enter in the Wine Jackpot auction! Buy one of 52 playing cards for $100 and you will be entered for a chance to win five cases of premium wine from local wineries. Call (805) 547-1914 to reserve your card.

You can also get involved by virtually joining a team, sponsoring a team or donating online via CrowdRise. To register your team or get involved visit www.crowdrise.com/IPFC2016. To sponsor Verdin’s Team Hearts for Charlie, click .

Image: Imagination Park Fall Classic 2015. Photo by Bob Canepa.