Eagle Scout leads effort to take down playground in Winnetka, and send it to Ghana
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A shipment of parts for a new playground on its way to Ghana, in West Africa, as part of a project designed by a suburban Eagle Scout.
Winnetka high school senior Jake Claybrook made sure no bolt was lost as he led two Eagle Scout troops disassembled the Nick Corwin Park playground.
"It's going to be great, because it's going to help the community here by getting a new playground, and it's going to help the community in Ghana," he said.
Claybrook has been planning for this day for more than a year; working with the group Future Builders in Ghana and the Winnetka Park District.
"I went to like 25 different park districts, and asked if they had any they were redoing, and it turns out that my own park district of Winnetka was redoing the Corwin. So they gave me that one," he said. "This project is one piece of the community in Ghana and Winnetka's relationship. A couple of years ago, they built a library there, and this is like the final thing to make a community center."
For weeks, blueprints were carefully created on how to take it down, and how put it back up.
"He's been doing a great job keeping it organized, putting all the bits and pieces together, and he's stuck with it. I'm really proud of him for that," said Troop 18 scout leader Steven Jambor. "Just bringing together all these scouts on one day is really special."
Scout members are anxious to see the playground once it's up in Ghana. In fact, Claybook is planning to see the finished project this summer.
"I'm going to feel very happy when I go there and see them playing on it, because they probably have never experienced something like a new playground before in their life," Claybrook said. "I feel like it's very important to me."
We'll keep tabs on this story and will bring you a picture of the kids in ghana enjoying the playground once it's in place.
