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Kramer_TOP_02Family of Kayla White RB_04Donates Play Structure and Penguin for Ferndale’s Harding Park
(Crystal A. Proxmire, April 25, 2016)
Ferndale, MI – Kayla White grew up playing in Harding Park on Ferndale’s NE side and had hopes that she would take her child there as well.  That dream was cut short on Nov. 11, 2014 when she was in a fatal crash on I-696.
White was 23 years old, and eight months pregnant, when a distracted driver rear-ended her 2003 Jdinos02sidelogo3eep Liberty, causing it to overturn and catch fire.  The community and the White family mourned her loss, but also came together to raise money to put up a play structure and a penguin sculpture at Harding Park.
On Monday Kayla’s family – Susan, Russ and Corey – presented the City of Ferndale with a check for $26,839.55 to cover the cost of the play structure and the sculpture.  The family worked with the City to order a play structure of a similar style to other structures at City Parks.  Plus there is enough left over to add a special “Expression Swing,” which has a grown up swing attached to a toddler swing facing it, so the adult and the child face each other while the adult makes the swing move.
“That’s new and popular and helps with bonding,” said DPW Director Loyd Cureton.   “Being that it’s a block away from their home so they can keep an eye and let us know if we need to do anything,” Curton added.sideHeadLines
Cureton and members of City Council thanked the family for their generosity in turning a tragedy into something positive for the community.
“I know this does not bring your family member back, but her memory lives on in the park and we thank you,” said Mayor Dave Coulter.
The White Family thanked everyone that donated, pointing out that a one-day fundraiser in April raised over $10,000 towards the structure.  The rest was collected through a Go Fund Me page.
The structure is expected to go up later this year.
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