Project Safe Playground Loses Nonprofit Application

The nonprofit Project Safe Playground – a Souderton-based group that has been raising money to build a safe playground in the borough in the wake of the death of Skyler Kauffman – has lost its nonprofit application, but will be refocusing its efforts elsewhere.

According to a post by organizer Stephanie Haas on the project's Facebook page, the group wil no longer pursue a 501(c)3 status due to “family drama."

The group has, so far, raised $1,554 toward the playground. According to the group’s Facebook page, cash donations on record will be returned to people. Anything left over will be donated to Indian Valley AMBUCS for its AMTryke Fund. Raffles will also be returned as well.

There is a plan going on now to continue the group on the path to its goal to build a playground at Chestnut Street and Wile Avenue in Souderton.

Souderton Council approved the site June 13.

According to Souderton resident Ray Hopkins, who has stepped up to reorganize the group, the program may need to go on hold until such a time that it can establish a nonprofit group.

He said Haas is meeting with the nonprofit program group that originally set up Project Safe Playground to establish what needs to happen.

“Right now, there’s a group of people behind this and we will see if we cannot reuse or keep the existing plans as estimated and priced out,” Hopkins said. “We want to establish a 501(c)3 in order to create a community park and not necessarily connected with Skyler and her family. We are not in any way wanting to discount or eliminate anything in connection with the Kauffman family.”

Skyler Kauffman’s name was never officially on the project. However, conceptual designs for the playground by Designed for Fun Inc., in Warminster do attribute Skyler’s name to the project.

“We want to help Stephanie out in the short term,” Hopkins said. “We want to use the playground as a community playground and a playground set up as a 501(c)3 that is an awareness program for violence against children.”

Hopkins said calls have been made to borough manager Mike Coll and councilmen Brian Goshow and D. Jeffrey Gross to ask if the project is killed or if a short extension can be granted to keep it going.

“The intention is to make a playground happen with community support,” Hopkins said. “We hope to get community members from Indian Valley and Hatfield and Lansdale areas to work on raising funds.”

Most of the work toward making the playground happen comes in sweat equity. Tasks like digging holes, spreading out new ground material and landscaping should come from the community, thereby keeping costs down.

And there is an idea to have the playground be everlasting.

The conceptual plans call for a nethouse and structures for smaller and older students alike.

“It is durable and long-lasting, made with resilient wood fiber that can hold up to the weather,” Hopkins said.

A goal is to have the playground require as minimal maintenance as possible from the borough.

“Souderton has been very supportive,” Hopkins said. “They have been supporting Stephanie’s original work.”

Stay tuned for further updates on this story.