Play On: The memory of local resident Kayla White will live on in a new memorial playground
Story by Andy Henry | Park photo by Jeff Lily | Kayla’s self portrait used with permission
As a little girl, Kayla White loved Harding Park. She grew up nearby, and played there often. As an
expectant mother, Kayla still loved Harding Park, though she lamented the fact that the swings, slide, and monkey bars where she climbed, tumbled, and laughed were no longer there. Unfortunately, the economic recession meant that when the playground equipment got too old and had to be removed, funds were not available to replace it. Backboards and backstops remained, but there was no longer a dedicated place in the park for little ones. She told her family that she hoped Harding Park would one day have a playground again.
On November 11, 2014, only a month before she was due to give birth to her first child, Kayla lost her life in a car accident, struck as she waited in traffic on her way to work.
The loss of a child fundamentally disrupts the natural order of things. Daughters and sons grieve the loss of a parent intensely, though on some level understand it as a part of life’s progression. For parents in mourning, there is often a sense of not being able to move; not knowing what to do next. Kayla’s parents,
Susan and Russ White, found direction in her words and her vision. They realized the best way to celebrate her life and honor her memory would be to make the playground she dreamed of a reality.
On September 14 of this year, the Ferndale City Council approved the proposal for the Kayla White Memorial Playground. Kayla loved penguins, so in addition to two slides, climbing structures, and monkey bars, the playground will be adorned with a penguin statue.
Though the planning, paperwork, and approvals have been completed, there is still much to be done, including raising the money needed for construction. The cost of the project is $25,000. In order to bring in the necessary funds, Kayla’s mom set up a GoFundMe campaign in October. A lot has been accomplished in the last month, but significant funds are still needed to bring Kayla’s playground to fruition. As of November 30, the campaign was still over $11,000 short of its goal. To make a donation and help carry the initiative forward, visit www.gofundme.com/aj6ta9bw
When the Kayla White Memorial Playground is completed, young children will run and laugh and discover new friendships. Those are the things Kayla remembered from her childhood, and what she envisioned for others. Children will know the same joy Kayla did, and through the love, compassion, and generosity of her family, her friends, and her community, so too will they know her name.
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