With 27 chapters around the country, Variety impacts the lives of children on a daily basis. Here are just a few examples:

VARIETY OF PHILADELPHIA CAMP AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Our nationally-acclaimed camp and developmental center has been serving children with physical and developmental disabilities since 1949. The camp is located in Worcester Township, Pennsylvania, and is open year-round, offering programs such as day camp, weekend retreats, and residential camp. Activities offered include: wheelchair sports, aquatics, karate, music, computer lessons, arts, and more.

This facility allows children with special needs to interact together in a fun and safe environment. It also allows children to gain independence by spending extended periods of time at camp. While children love the time spent with camp staff and friends, parents are grateful for the respite it provides. Parents can rest assured, knowing their children are in a safe and protected environment.

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard visited the Variety Camp and Developmental Center in July 2006. The Home Run Derby winner and Phillies' 2006 spokesman for Variety received a warm welcome from the campers and Variety staff. The children had an unforgettable day learning about baseball straight from one of Philadelphia's most talented athletes, and were even able to work on their skills with him during a fun game of wiffle ball!

ST. LOUIS' FIRST PUBLIC ALL-INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND

At the grand opening of the Dennis and Judith Jones Variety Wonderland playground, Variety St. Louis poster child Libby buried a time capsule with the lead donors. While preserving history in the ground beneath her feet, the 10-year-old was also making history as she helped unveil the city’s first public play area to accommodate both able-bodied youngsters and children with disabilities.

The idea to build a public all-inclusive playground came from members of the Variety Family Council, a committee of Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis. Children with disabilities were unable to play with their friends and siblings at the local playgrounds. Rather than experiencing the joy of swinging, sliding and running freely like other children, they could only watch. Some even opted to just stay home.

The Variety Family Council suggested building a public playground where all children could play together regardless of physical ability, creating a safe environment for the children of the greater St. Louis region to enjoy the sunshine, increase their strength and coordination and hone their social skills.

The $2 million state-of-the-art play area includes 29 pieces of equipment on a 10,100 square-foot soft, porous surface. The playground is divided into several sections designed according to age, physical strength and abilities. Equipment includes a metal slide for children with cochlear implants, Braille and clock panels for the blind, talk phones, surface fountains and 8’ high ramping so children can experience a tree house affect.

Variety of St. Louis hopes that the next generation will open the time capsule that was buried during the grand opening. No matter what may have changed by then, when they see the contents of the capsule, they’ll understand that it was love and dedication that created this wonderland of learning some of life’s greatest lessons through playtime.