WEST TAMPA - The DeBartolo Family Foundation awarded the Spirit of Humanity Award and donated $25,000 Thursday morning to the Freedom Playground Foundation, which earlier this year built an accessible playground at Macfarlane Park, 1700 N. MacDill Ave.
The Freedom Playground Foundation said it would use the money to enhance the playground. It will add an interactive playhouse, information kiosk that explains the playground and a musical instrument.
The playground, which opened in February, is eye catching because of its ship design and popular because it is accessible for all children. It has swings, slides, sliding poles, sand boxes and musical instruments, including chimes, steel drum and plastic conga drums.
"It's fantastic," Freedom Playground Foundation founder Stefani Busansky said of the award.
Busansky was inspired by her daughter Sarah, 9, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair.
In 2001, the DeBartolo Family Foundation began giving out the award and $10,000 three times a year to local organizations. This year the foundation increased the award to $25,000.
"What we hope to accomplish with this is we want to bring attention to these smaller, grassroots organizations that maybe don't have a lot of funding," said Lisa DeBartolo, the foundation's executive vice president. "Maybe with us giving them some attention it will bring them more funding and support."
Busansky's friend Donna Bevis nominated the Freedom Playground Foundation for the award.
"For me, this is a marvelous place in this community," Bevis said. "It enhances our community."
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