A host of people gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of Dustin's Adventureland. Those holding the shovels are, from left to right, Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce President Robert S. Carl Jr., 10-year-old Dustin Freed and his mother Amy, Dustin's Adventureland President Jim Womer, 10-year-old Elvin Brennan and Dustin's Adventureland Vice President Jeffrey Dunkel.
Originally published in the Pottsville Republican-Herald on March 20, 2022.
Writing and photos by Wes Cipolla
MINERSVILLE — At the Minersville Lions Club Pavilion on Saturday, Joan Marie Callaghan struggled to get into her bunny paw slippers.
As she put on the finishing touches of her Easter Bunny costume, her friend James Hartnett was dressing up as Marshall from “Paw Patrol.”
“Whose hands are these?” Callaghan asked, holding a pair of paw gloves. “Are they mine?”
“We don’t even know what goes with what,” Hartnett said. “Maybe they’re my feet.”
Joan Marie Callaghan and James Hartnett.
Callaghan and Hartnett are volunteers for Dustin’s Adventureland, Schuylkill County’s first all-inclusive playground geared toward special needs children. On Saturday, years of fundraising and hard work were realized at the ceremonial groundbreaking of the $500,000 playground. It was a day of thanks and celebration, with costumed characters and golden shovels.
“It’s nice to see the excitement on children’s faces,” said Hartnett, whose 10-year-old son Isaiah Carnell is deaf and uses cochlear implants to hear. Callaghan has a grandson with autism.
A host of local officials, including state Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Twp., attended the ceremony.
“Minersville has been a pleasure to work with,” said Argall, who secured a $100,000 grant for the playground. “Congratulations to you all on a job very well done.”
Families across Schuylkill County were also there, with hope for a place where all children can play without being made fun of or excluded.
Miranda Bainbridge, of Pine Grove, was there with her son Ethan, 9, who has a chromosome disorder, cerebral palsy and a seizure disorder. She watched as Ethan played with Simba from “The Lion King,” fittingly portrayed by Minersville Lions Club Director Kevin Wasser.
Simba (David Wasser) and Ethan.
“The smiles on their faces say it all,” Wasser said. “We like to give back to the community, that’s what the Lions Club is all about. And when (Dustin’s Adventureland) approached us, not one person said no. We were all in.”
“I’m so teary-eyed with this,” said Kendra Dixon, of Pottsville, whose 9-year-old son Ethan has autism, ADHD and ODD. “It would mean inclusion, finding friends like him. Everyone’s included in it, that’s what really touches us.”
Dustin’s Adventureland began five years ago, when Amy Freed approached Jeffrey Dunkel with the idea of Easter egg hunts and charity auctions for special needs children like her son Dustin. With the leftover money from these fundraisers, they decided to use the funds to build a swingset in Dustin’s honor. What started as a swingset became a whole playground.
“Today is a bittersweet and special day,” Freed said as she stood with Dustin, who is now 10. “If it wasn’t for this generous community, this occasion wouldn’t have happened. My son Dustin was given to me for a reason and a purpose. If it wasn’t for him, this wouldn’t have happened. He was born to bring more awareness into the world. Now, every kid can be a superhero like him.”
Dunkel, vice president of Dustin’s Adventureland, thanked the Borough of Minersville, the Lions Club and Jim Womer of Womer Landscaping, who donated the cost of installing the playground.
“This man is driving miles and miles to pick up food, to knock on doors, to write grants with the other board members,” said Womer, who is also president of Dustin’s Adventureland. “He’s gone above and beyond.”
Robert S. Carl Jr., president and CEO of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, said, “It’s a beautiful day in Schuylkill County.”
“It’s really heart-moving when we know we’re taking care of Schuylkill County’s future,” he continued. “Everyone is important, everyone, and not everyone has been equally blessed with things that some others have, but in every way they are special and blessed.”
Robert S. Carl gives a speech before the groundbreaking ceremony.
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