Ivey Sirmans, the younger sister of Darlington students Knox (’21) and Walker (’23), will benefit firsthand if McHenry Primary receives the $25,000 grant from Pepsi to build a handicap-accessible playground.
Born with a rare genetic syndrome due to a partial deletion of her 21st chromosome, Sirmans has anophthalmia, which means she was born without her eyes. She also suffers from hearing loss, microcephaly and a deformity to her heart. Her cleft lip and palate has been repaired and her trach has been removed. Sirmans has triumphed over many obstacles, yet she and her family feel that God has granted her many blessings.
“Right now, Ivey and all of her classmates do not have a playground to play on because her wheelchair cannot access the playground,” said Beth Smith, pre-K teacher at Darlington. “She has to sit by and listen while all of the other schoolchildren get to play outside at recess. Together we can help Ivey and her classmates!”
Last year, McHenry Primary applied to receive a similar grant from Pepsi to build this playground, but inevitably did not gain enough votes. This year, however, Darlington students, faculty and staff have championed the cause in hopes of making a difference.
“When McHenry Primary’s plea to earn this grant to build a handicap-accessible playground crossed my path, my heart nearly skipped a beat,” said Saket Tiwari (’11) in a letter to Darlington parents requesting their support of the project. “Weekly visits to McHenry have truly connected our students to theirs. We’ve had the chance to step out of the bubble we often find ourselves in and help children in need of a mentor, a counselor or a friend. These visits have become so much more than one more hour of servant leadership toward the required 15 or something to add to our college applications. We actually enjoy helping the children at McHenry. We enjoy spending time with them on the playground or inside the gym playing hide-n-go seek or kickball. We enjoy making a difference in their lives, whether that is by helping with a homework assignment or giving a push on a swing set.”
If McHenry receives the grant, handicapped children will soon be able to experience the same joys outside on the playground as the other children.
“Although some of these students may grow up and perhaps never remember our names, they will always remember the new-and-improved playground they had the chance to enjoy,” Tiwari said. “I urge you, as part of the Darlington Community, to help us achieve this goal by voting for McHenry Primary. It only takes a few seconds.”
There are two ways to vote. Click here to go to the website and then click “Vote for this idea” on the right side of the page. You will be prompted to create a log in, but don’t worry – you can opt out of receiving any future communications from Pepsi. The second way to vote is by texting the number 101235 to PEPSI (73774). You can vote once per method each day. Voting ends Aug. 31 at 11:59 p.m. and McHenry's project currently holds the No. 1 slot. The school must remain in the Top 10 to receive the $25,000 grant to build their playground.
