MADISON – Members of the original Kids Kingdom Committee presented Madison Visionary Partners and members of the Go Build a Kingdom committee with a check for $65,000 in a “passing of the torch,” ceremony on Wednesday.

“We were thrilled to hear the original Keepers of the Kingdom wanted to contribute to the next phase of the Kid’s Kingdom playground. This morning we accepted an incredibly generous donation from these ladies of $65,000 on behalf of the project! Even twenty five years later, this group of community volunteers is helping to further the legacy of this park for the years to come,” said Matt McLellan, chair of the Go Build a Kingdom committee.

When Kids Kingdom was built in Dublin Park almost 25 years ago, it was a shining example of local citizens coming together to meet the needs of our community. Headed by Jane Dow, the committee brought the community together to build the beloved wooden structure that so many families have enjoyed throughout the years.

“The playground started out as a big community event. It means a lot to the Madison community. People are going to be sad to see the original structure go, but I also think that people are going to be excited about what is to come that’s new,” said Jane Dow at the check presentation.

The wooden structure has exceeded its life span. Paired with the need for an inclusive playground in Madison, the Go Build a Kingdom committee was formed by community and civic leaders to raise funds to not only renovate Kids Kingdom but make it universally inclusive, allowing children of all abilities to play.

”Community efforts such as the one behind Kids Kingdom, both then and now, is what Madison does best,” said Melanie Thornton, Executive Director of Madison Visionary Partners. “This generous donation brings us even closer to our goal.”

To date, the Go Build a Kingdom committee has raised over $550,000 including today’s donation. Groundbreaking is expected to take place in early September 2022.

For more information on Kids Kingdom, visit gobuildakindgom.com