Smiths Falls Redhawks

Through various fundraisers over the past 5 months, the Smiths Falls Redhawks raised $1,000. and donated it to Chimo's Playground. Here, Carley Southin and Zack Craig represent the Smiths Falls Redhawks well as they present Chimo teachers Robyn Rivington and Lori Kendrick with their donation. THANK YOU REDHAWKS!!!

Canadian Pacific Railway

We were thrilled to receive a $2,000. donation from Canadian Pacific Railway representatives Steven Doyle and Scott Nelson even after our playground build day. Their donation will go towards the accessible swing that is on our wish list. Thank you CP Rail for caring about Chimo's kids!

We Did It!!

What an AMAZING DAY!!! 272 people registered to make May 15th 2010 a day we will all remember for a very long time! We did what we set out to do... to bring the community together, encourage goodwill and friendship, and develop pride of ownership and a sense of accomplishment. We also built a fantastic play ground for Chimo's kids, now... and for a very long time to enjoy! What an accomplishment! Thank you... to all who worked so hard to make this happen. Whether it was a financial donation or a shovel full of pea stone... every little bit made this happen. Thank you to Let Them Be Kids! It was an absolutely wonderful experience working with you. You make dreams come true. That makes you pretty special people.

Kilmarnok Enterprises Helps Chimo

Chimo's grade 5 teacher Karen Donovan receives a very generous cheque from Kilmarnok Enterprises representatives to help our our playground improvement efforts. Thank you Kilmarnok Enterprises!!!

The Rotary Club of Smiths Falls

An Amazing $3,000. was donated by the Rotary Club for the specific purchase of our new fitness area in our school yard. Thank you Rotary Club... for contributing to our efforts to keep our kids healthy and active.

THANK YOU WALMART!!

Walmart associates welcomed Chimo Parent Council members and students to their morning meeting to present them with a $500. cheque towards their new play structure. Thanks Walmart!!

IT'S HERE!!!

The playground equipment arrived today!! And so did several of our Chimo alumni to help with the offload. Many thanks to the SFDCI Redhawks Basketball team for their assistance. Offloading the equipment are alumni Dischaine, Turner, Vince, Shawn, Matthew and Curtis, with the rest of the team awaiting their turn in the background. Many thanks, also, to Rona for the use of the Fork Lift to assist with the offload, and to Steve for his expert use. We are extremely grateful for the assistance that we have received from our business community.

Inspiring Hope

In its essence LTBK is about inspiring hope! Let’s be clear that is not a marketing slogan…it is about people being inspired to do something in their own communities when they see you do something in your community. Hope is inspired through action, it is sparked when people do more than others believe to be possible or even plausible. So go big, go hard and leave a legacy for ,not only your kids ,but those in other communities that you will never see or meet. In simple terms- Inspire Hope through your actions and the success of your projects! Thanks Ian

Smiths Falls Civitan Club

Pictured here, grand children and great grand children of Civitan Club Members accept a very generous cheque for $1,000. on behalf of their fellow Chimo Students! Thank you so much Civitans for your support of our playground!

The Build Begins!

Chimo Yard Sale

What a fantastic day for a yard sale!! The sun was shining and we had tons of treasures donated so we were able to pass along some pretty hot deals. The profits all went to the yard sale so we managed to bring in another $1,150. towards our playground. It's sooooooo close now we can almost touch it!!

Olivia and Owen sold Lemonaid and Fruit Punch from 7:30 to 12:30 and made $69.00 for their play structure! Way to go guys!!!

MANY THANKS to the SFDCI Reunion Band for supporting our Playground!

Ladies Monday Night Soccer

Playground Committee members Jennifer Spencer and Shawnda Hendry accept a donation from the Monday Night Ladies Soccer Club. These ladies play in our gym every Monday night! Way to go ladies!!

Andress, Your Independant Grocer

Mr & Mrs Andress deliver a very generous donation to our playground fund to Mrs. Donovan and students.

Thanks Dr. Hall !!!

Chimo student leader Thomas Jordan accepts a $2,000.00 cheque from Susan James, Sharron Stilwell, Dr. Graham Hall & Dr. Mike MacPhee. Thanks so much for generously supporting our playground!!

Thank You Lions Club!

Smiths Falls Lions Club made a very generous donaton of $1500.00 to our playground fund! In this picture Jayden and Abby Spencer along with Liam Dickson accept the cheque from our friends at the Lions Club.

Many Thanks To Dr. & Mrs. Dixit

Neighbours helping neighbours! Dr. Dixit's dental practice is just down the road on Percy Street and we are very grateful that he chose to help with our playground! Here receiving the cheque from Dr. & Mrs. Dixit is Parent Council Co-chair Chris Dickson(right), SFDCI Co-op student Elizabeth LeSurf(left) along with Kindergarten students from Mlle Gendron's & Mrs Smith's French Immersion class.

Let Them Be Kids Comes To Chimo

The Chimo Parent Council Playground Group had some special visitors today. LTBK Founder Ian Hill and Board Member Jesse John toured the school today and were impressed with what they saw. Back row l-r: Linda Pipher, Karen Donovan, Jesse John, Ian Hill, Chris Dickson, Michelle Watson, Heather Whiting. Front row l-r: Shawnda Hendry, Daryl Kelly, Jennifer Spencer, Lorrie Briggs

Wow... we are out in the community EVERYWHERE!

Saturday March 27th, Milliwiggins Toystore is offering us 15% of all sales Saturday April 10th, Chimo Day at Walmart - BBQ, Parking Lot Toll, Car Wash, Face Painting. Saturday April 10th, Vine Rhymes will be performing for playground donations at the Courtyard Cafe. Saturday April 17th, Little Sprouts is having a yard sale and donating some proceeds to Chimo Playground Wednesday April 21st, Spring Concert with Silent Auction and SFDCI Reunion Band. Saturday May 1st, Chimo Yard Sale. Tables renting for $20. (call Terri @ 283-7297) or drop donations off at the school. Saturday May 15th, BUILD DAY!!

California Cruiser

Smiths Falls business owner donates this hand painted California Cruiser bike, to our playground build, valued at $1200.00, and "modelled" here by our office administrator, Mrs. Hawkins. Watch for your chance to make a donation on a draw to win this one of a kind bike that will take place on our build day! This generous donor also gave us a cheque for $500.!

Smiths Falls Family Chiropractic "Adjusts" our Thermometer

Mrs. Smith (right) with her Kindergarten class and principal Mrs. Kelly receive a very generous $1,000. donation to our playground from Dr. Mark Czubak and Dr. Frazer Smith of Smiths Falls Family Chiropractic. Thank you so much for your support!

Pancakes for Playground

The Manhattan Bar & Grill was the place to be on Sunday March 21st! Many Many thanks to the owner Peter, who offered this fundraiser for Chimo and served up some delicious sausage and pancakes. Thanks also to Linda, Lorrie, Principal Kelly and the grade 6 girls for serving up this awesome meal. Another notch on the thermometer! We 're getting close!!!

Extra Extra Read All About It

Read our recent article in Smiths Falls This Week

Why this all matters...

Notes from the Let Them Be Kids FB page... Someone asked me the other day "So Ian, Why does all this LTBK stuff matter" then continued "it really isn't that important in the whole grand picture, is it?"... I replied "all this matters because these projects are not just about playgrounds and skate parks, they are about building our communities, about inspiring hope in others and about showing that regular people can change the world for the better" I am always amazed that the drug dealer , the pedophile and the other bad people can innovate, create and find ways to make their horrible things happen...So why can't we make great things happen. Why can't we innovate, create and get things done for the positive! So far this year we have given 25 or so awards and will be giving more in the near future... but the real work is being done in the communities themselves, people giving of their time, talent and money to make something great happen. Support them, help them, cheer for them... do all you can to get the word out about the project that is near and dear to you (if you dont have one, pick one). A world, a country, a town, a school, a family, a kid....are all counting on someone to inspire some hope, and that someone is you!!! Get involved-Ian

Chimo Day at Wal*Mart!

Saturday, April 10th!! Wal*Mart, Smiths Falls, is generously allowing us to have a Charity BBQ, conduct a Parking Lot Toll and have a Car Wash. They also have offered their matching grant so what ever we raise... they'll match!! Gimme a W, Gimme a A, Gimme a L, Star, M, A, R, T... watta ya got?? WALMART!!! YEAH!!!

Manhattan Restaurant

The Manhattan Restaurant on the corner of Russell and Market Streets is having a Special Pancake Breakfast March 21, 2010. Time: 9 am - 1 pm Cost: $5.00 per person with $2.00 of each meal going towards our playground!! Fiddlers will entertain us throughout the morning and early afternoon. Please spread the word!!! A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO THE GREAT PEOPLE AT THE MANHATTAN RESTAURANT!!!

Milliwiggins

The fine folks at Milliwiggins toy and gift store are offering to donate 10% of all sales for the 27th of March to our play structure! There are lots of items for sale there that will make great Easter gifts and they will keep on giving through their donation to project playground. Your fun and unique toy store retailer of Melissa & Doug, Alex, Manhattan Toys, Schylling, a great selection of candy and loot bag novelty. Milliwiggins hosts special Craft Time Days which enable children to let their inner artist create. Hours: Monday to Saturday 10 to 5 They are at 7 Russle Street West, Davidson Courtyard, Smiths Falls. So please start spreading the word.

The Tooth Fairy!

Thanks to ALL who went to see the Sunday Matinee of The Tooth Fairy! And a very special thanks to Premiere Movie Theatre in Town who gave us $2.00 of every admission. That, along with some generous donations brought in an astounding $555.06!! One step closer to our playground!

Here, Harley, Kera and McKenna sell some of the goodies that they, along with Kaylea, Dayna, Janie, Denise and some parents baked for the bake sale held Tuesday, Feb 9th. These girls raised an AMAZING $435.50!! We all know that gets doubled by Let Them Be Kids so thanks to all their hard work we are now $871. closer to our playground goal! Congratulations girls... we are VERY PROUD of your efforts!!!