No Fault is proud to be American and would like to wish you and your family a very safe and happy Fourth of July!  Please remember to support our troops for all their hard work and the sacrifices they've made to provide freedom for our country!

No Fault is proud to have had the opportunity to provide its No Fault Safety Surface poured-in-place for the Ft. Carson Army Base Child Development Center in Ft. Carson, Colorado.  

The project called for installation of 12,000 square feet of surface. According to Armanda Hunt (Child, Youth, and School Services Coordinator), "These new facilities offer a safe, nurturing and healthy environment for Ft. Carson children."

This particular facility was part of many new CDCs approved, reflecting a concerted effort of additional childcare projects directly from the Chief of Staff of the Army. According to Robert McLaughlin, Ft. Carson Garrison Commander, "It's ultimately how we express our appreciation to our soldiers. Taking care of our kids is tremendously important. It's our commitment to our soldiers, who are continuing our mission, to know that their kids are being cared for."

The new CDC was also built to meet LEED Silver Standard, which is the third highest of the four ratings in the internationally recognized sustainable building standards of the U.S. Green Building Council. 

The CDC also has environmentally-friendly EcoPlay playground equipment from Safeplay Systems, which is comprised of recycled, post-consumer HDPE (milk jugs). Just from this project alone 61,250 milk jugs were kept out of landfills. In addition to the equipment, No Fault Sport Group provided the materials and installation of its poured-in-place safety surface, which is also comprised of 85 percent recycled tires, thus keeping 6421 tires out of landfills from this project alone.

"We've always considered No Fault's safety surfacing as a perfect complement to our EcoPlay Playgrounds because of the high content of post-consumer recycled material in both of our products," says Bob Gredys, President of Safeplay Systems. "We are very proud that this partnership helped the Ft. Carson Monarch Child Development Center project achieve its LEED Silver goal."

The summer of 2010 was a summer I will always remember- but not because of an exotic vacation or cross-country road trip or adventure-filled summer camp. Instead, I stayed right at home and explored local playgrounds with my twins. We were one of six families to participate in the first-ever KaBoom! Summer Playground Challenge.

When the Challenge ended, I observed a marked change in my children -they appeared healthier, happier, stronger and more self-confident. While everyone knows that outdoor play is beneficial for kids, what I didn't expect was how transformative the Challenge proved for mom as well!

Here are five reasons why parents should join the 2012 Playground Challenge:

1. Regular outdoor play is good for the soul. Activities like swinging, building sandcastles, rolling down grassy hills, and running through a fountain on hot summer days help you feel like a kid again. You will also have incentive to escape from computers, piles of laundry, and other distractions.
 

2. It's easier to get your kids to bed. Each day will provide your children with opportunities to be physically active as they increase their strength, coordination, and endurance. As a result, they won't be as squirmy at home and will rarely have trouble falling asleep at night!
 

3. Play opens doors to teachable moments. Rather than constantly playing the role of disciplinarian, you become a support to your child's exploration, discovery, and learning. As you explore playgrounds and nature areas, your children will undoubtedly ask you endless questions, and each day will be filled with teachable moments.
 

4.You meet new people in your neighborhood. As you explore, you will inevitably strike up conversations with other parents, contributing to a sense of community and connectedness. This can be particularly meaningful for stay-at-home parents - a job that is sometimes very isolating.
 

5.Your family can experience new places right at home. Many participants, myself included, found that until they took on the Challenge, they were unaware of the surprising number of parks, playgrounds, and nature preserves in or near their community. They discovered hidden gems and explored nearby neighborhoods they had never had reason to visit before.

As a gift to yourself and your children this summer, allow for plenty of time to play, and consider being a part of the national 2012 Playground Challenge!

The 2012 Summer Playground Challenge asks parents to visit playgrounds and add them to KaBoom!'s Map of Play using their soon-to-be released Tag! mobile app. If you need another reason to join the Challenge, participants will earn points and badges toward great prizes throughout the summer and toward one of three Grand Prizes--a trip for two to Washington, DC! Sign up here for info!