Huntsville Times Article – January 20, 2012 Morgan County’s Special Needs Splash Pad named ‘Best of Aquatics’ facility in nation Please click on link to see article: http://blog.al.com/breaking/2012/01/morgan_countys_special_needs_s.html

January 18, 2012 CONTACT: Bob Francis Project Manager 256-227-3483   PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   SNAP Playground Receives Prestigious Award – 2011 Best of Aquatics   Hartselle, Alabama – The “John Mark Stallings Special Needs Accessible Playground (SNAP) of Morgan County” Splash Pad has been recognized by Aquatics International magazine as a “Best of [...]

The annual Morgan County Alabama Sheriff’s Rodeo kicks off on March 29th, 2012 with the “Special Needs Rodeo”. This special day allows all City and Morgan County special needs kids a day off from school – they will enjoy fun, food & games, along with hay rides, face painting and, of course, a preview of [...]

Hartselle Courier Journal, dated January 4, 2012 By Jennifer R. Hill Jennifer.Hill@hartsellecourierjournal.com The John Mark Stallings Special Needs Accessible Playground is entering the third and final phase of construction. Phase three will be built in two increments, first, the entry way under construction now, and lastly, the main playground area projected to be finished by [...]

More Photos from Randy Vest and District 2 volunteer efforts as they remain steadfast in helping to complete SNAP and have performed $7,400 in-kind work to this point.  THANK YOU! December 16, 2011 Photos provided by Jack Templeton

Randy Vest and District 2 remain steadfast in helping to complete SNAP and have performed $7,400 in-kind work to this point.  THANK YOU! December 16, 2011 Photos provided by Jack Templeton

Pictured are Daystar Church Members who performed landscape maintenance at the SNAP Complex on November 12, 2011.  The church volunteered this service to SNAP as one of its “Serve Projects”.  Existing landscape features and lawns were weeded and trimmed, and all bordering landscaped areas were freshened with new mulch.  The overall result of their work [...]

More photos from Daystar Church Volunteers on SNAP landscaping.August 12, 2011Photos provided by Jack Templeton

Daystar Church Volunteers provide landscaping for SNAP! August 12, 2011Photos provided by Jack Templeton

Lowe`s recently completed an increment of the SNAP complex perimeter landscaping. Store Manager Lee Rogers approached the SNAP organization last summer, offering to donate a $1200 grant for landscape items and labor to install, as a Lowe`s Heroes project.   Work was completed on November 11, 2011 at a total value of $2,000 for materials [...]

Lowe’s recently completed an increment of the SNAP Complex perimeter landscaping.  Store Manager, Lee Rogers, approached the SNAP organization last summer offering to donate a $1200 grant for landscape items and labor to install, as a Lowe’s Project.  The work was completed on November 11, 2011, a total value of $2000 of materials and labor.  [...]

Landscaping completed by Lowe’s Heros November 18, 2011 Photos provided by Jack Templeton

More photos of Lowe’s SNAP Heros November 17, 2011 Photos provided by Amanda Lambert, Lowe’s Hartselle

Here are more photos of Lowe’s SNAP HerosNovember 17, 2011Photos provided by Amanda Lambert, Lowe’s Hartselle

Lowe’s SNAP HerosNovember 17, 2011Photos provided by Amanda Lambert, Lowe’s Hartselle

Charlie Gandy, Vice President, NAIFA, presents a $3500 check for the John Mark Stallings Special Needs Accessible Playground of Morgan County (SNAP) to Bob Francis, Project Manager. The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) – Tennessee Valley has contributed annually to SNAP since the project began in 2007 & NAIFA has donated a [...]

Here is more information about the NAIFA Tennessee Valley Golf Tournament coming up on October 3, 2011, at Burningtree Country Club – proceeds to benefit The John Mark Stallings SNAP of Morgan County. For tickets and information, please contact the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce at 256.773.4370.

Sign up to play today so a child can play tomorrow! NAIFA Tennessee Valley Golf Tournament coming up on October 3, 2011, at Burningtree Country Club – proceeds to benefit The John Mark Stallings SNAP of Morgan County. For tickets and information, please contact the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce at 256.773.4370.

Here’s the second load of scrap metal collected by Billy McAbee with Curb Appeal Cleaning Service, LLC, raising $110.40 for SNAP. The items came from the fine folks at B & G Tire, Edith Bennich, DeWayne Bennich, and Jay Rushen. Billy came up with the idea of collecting and selling recyclable metal for SNAP. If [...]

Here’s the first load of the new Scrap for SNAP money raising project being conducted by Billy McAbee with Curb Appeal Cleaning Service, LLC. Four photos are attached. Billy sold this load today for $110.96. He previously passed out letters of introduction to neighbors and some business owners, explaining that he is collecting and selling [...]

Tuesday of this week included “Christmas in July” at the SNAP Splash Pad. In the photos, Parks and Recreation Department workers Staci Segler and Heather Hemming substituted for Santa in leading the games. Here they are seen attaching shaving cream beards to party-goers. The beards were then “shaved” by use of water pistols at the [...]

The final total was $5,046.43! The article below is from The Hartselle Enquirer’s News At Noon, written by Clif Knight. All the donations and help were sincerely appreciated, and obviously brought great results. Every child deserves a playground. Jack Templeton     —————————————————– SNAP yard sale nets $5,000 for next phase Published 10:08am Wednesday, July [...]

  SNAP Playground hosted a Christmas in July event on Tuesday, July 19, 2011. This one of the Tuesday afternoon events held each week at the SNAP Playground Pavilion & Splash Pad. Photos courtesy of Jack Templeton.

We began with approximately 5,000 cubic feet (not square feet) of donated items, and had about 150 cubic feet remaining, so the sale was obviously very successful and its income gets us a small step closer to finishing the playground for the kids.We certainly appreciate all the donations and the physical help, and there was [...]

  Please make plans to attend the John Mark Stallings SNAP of Morgan County Mega Yard Sale in Hartselle this weekend next to the Civic Center & the SNAP Playground/Splash Pad. Please click on poster for more details!

  Photos of the new SNAP Pavilion, Rotary Drinking Fountain & Restrooms! Photos provided by Jack Templeton.

                    Photos from the SNAP Easter Egg Hunt April 23, 2011. Photos provided by Jack Templeton.

  Here are some photos of the early construction progress of the SNAP Pavilion at The John Mark Stallings SNAP of Morgan County taken April, 2011. Photos provided by Jack Templeton.

Here are some photos from June 5, 2011 of the SNAP Splash Pavilion construction just a couple of days before The John Mark Stallings SNAP of Morgan County Splash Pad opened for Summer 2011! Photos provided by Jack Templeton.

With most of the finishing touches complete, the Splash Pad and Pavilion opened June 5, 2011. At about 3 PM, the count was 61 people nside the pavilion & 41 outside. All tables & benches were in use. Everybody was having a great time, and making compliments about what a terrific facility we have for [...]

As the John Mark Stallings Special Needs Accessible Playground (SNAP) project begins its third and final phase, a mega rummage sale will be conducted in less than two weeks! This is a wide-spread announcement of the event, seeking hundreds of customers and dozens of volunteers. I hope you’ll be able to participate in both capacities [...]

Here is a SNAPshot of where we are at 06-20-2011. Isn’t it great to see the children playing on the swing area and the splash pad! We are so thankful for all of the monetary donations, in-kind donations and the volunteerism with the number of volunteers, individual and corporate who are making this playground a [...]

The SNAP Pavilion construction is underway. Here are some recent photos! Photos courtesy of Jack Templeton

Saturday, April 23, 2011, was Special Olympics day – a wonderful day at Decatur High’s Ogle Stadium. Several of our SNAP kids participated. You might want to go to the Daily web site and download photo’s to our SNAP blog. Carson, Conner and Jordan are in today’s Daily- Clara and Larry Byrd were there also. [...]

Fun at 2011 Morgan County Sheriff Rodeo SNAP Day!

We have two significant events in planning for SNAP: (1) A celebrity waiter event in partnership with the Huntsville Havoc hockey team and (2) A mega yard sale. Details are not yet firm, but should be soon. If you have an interest in either of these events or want more information how you may donate [...]

The Special Needs Accessible Playground was dedicated in memory of John Mark Stallings, son of retired football coach, Gene Stallings, in November 2008 with a special dedication ceremony. Gene Stallings was the keynote speaker for this event.

Phase 1 of the Special Needs Accessible Playground opened in May 2008 which included a swing area that is totally special needs accessible. For more information, visit www.snapplayground.org.

Clara is very excited about SNAP! She is 6 years old & has spinal bifida. Hannah Montana was at her birthday party last month & Clara made a HUGE sacrifice! She asked all of her friends to bring donations for SNAP in lieu of bringing her birthday presents. View her photographs as she makes her [...]

Snap is a very good idea!!!!! Every kid should have a place to play like the Snap playground. Not only kids with special needs are to play on the playground but kids like me too .Can you imagine not being able to play with all the other kids? Most parks have small pebbles or mulch [...]

By Tarri Drake What a joy it is to play with my kids at a playground! I love to take them on a pretty sunny day and hear their squeals and laughter. It is one of our favorite family activities and we go quite often. In the past week and a half, we have played [...]

(comments by Abbie Drake, age 6) I want to help all kids be able to play on playgrounds because the healthy kids get to play on the playgrounds and the ‘not healthy’ kids don’t, and that’s not fair.It would be a happy feeling for a child in a wheelchair to swing for the very first [...]

(comments by Grace Drake, age 6) If we don’t help the special needs kids, they won’t be able to play on the playground. They would still have to sit and watch all the other kids play. I feel sad that they don’t get to play. They should get to play.Question: Grace, what if someone said [...]

www.snapplayground.org

Learn More About SNAP – Special Needs Accessible Playground of Morgan County www.snapplayground.org

Visit SNAP Support Group Blog: http://snapsupport.blogspot.com

I just wanted to send you a brief letter my 10 year old daughter wrote and wanted me to read. S.N.A.P We need S.N.A.P because some children have special needs. This doesn’t mean they should not have the same privileges as other kids. They can’t help it that they are special. God made them special [...]

SNAP is an ancronym for Special Needs Accessible Playground. This is a very exciting project which entails a premiere “destination” playground and splash water park to be located in Hartselle, Alabama centrally located to all Morgan County special needs residents. This BLOG has been created to be an interactive way to educate & connect people. [...]