TN First Lady Maria Lee partners with nonprofit to build accessible playground in Clay County

CLAY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — On Saturday, Tennessee First Lady Maria Lee and Gov. Bill Lee joined community leaders and volunteers from across the state to build a new playground in Clay County.

According to officials, the first lady’s initiative, Tennessee Serves — along with the Tractor Supply Foundation, the Tennessee Titans, and Cleary Construction — partnered with a national nonprofit, KABOOM!, and the Clay County government to build the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible play space at Hermitage Springs Park.

Saturday, May 18 started with an exciting kickoff ceremony before volunteers spent the rest of the morning and afternoon working to construct the playground. The event wrapped up with a celebratory ribbon cutting ceremony, including remarks from the first lady, the governor, Clay County Mayor Dale Reagan, KABOOM! CEO Lysa Ratliff, and other project partners and community leaders, per the press release.

“Today, we saw many Tennesseans come together to serve their rural neighbors. It is my hope that this playground will continue to bring people together and be a space of joy, growth, and safe play for this community,” the first lady said. “From the beginning of our administration, I have dreamt of leaving something lasting in a distressed county that would bless Tennesseans for generations to come. I am so grateful to all of our incredible partners and the Clay County community for coming together to bring this vision to life.”

Officials said Tennessee Serves invited all eight of the Volunteer State’s federally designated distressed counties to apply for the playground grant, but after reviewing criteria, Clay County was selected.

“We are so thankful to First Lady Maria Lee and each of the partners who have made this project possible,” said Reagan. “This playground will be a true blessing for Clay County children, families, and all the generations to come.”

In March, the first lady hosted a Design Day in Clay County to hear input from students, parents, and community members about the playground. Then, KABOOM! used that input to design the new play space.

“Playgrounds are where kids can experience the wide range of physical and mental benefits of play, and have the freedom to take risks, build strong relationships, grow, explore, and learn through joyful moments of play,” said KABOOM! CEO Lysa Ratliff. “KABOOM! is thrilled to work with Tennessee Serves, the Tractor Supply Foundation, Cleary Construction, and the Tennessee Titans, to bring to life the new play space at Hermitage Springs Park and ensure that kids in Clay County and generations to come have a vibrant place to play designed for them to enjoy childhood and unlock their greatest potential.”

According to a press release from the first lady’s office, studies have shown parks and play spaces can have a tremendously positive impact on children and their overall health, academic and physical achievements, and socialization skills. Therefore, Clay County’s new playground is m invest in rural Tennessee’s youth and create a healthier state.

“At Tractor Supply, we are passionate about supporting Life Out Here and being a good neighbor in the places we call home,” said Marti Skold-Jordan, manager of the Tractor Supply Foundation. “What a delight to bring a bit of joy to the children of Clay County through this incredible collaboration with the Tennessee First Lady, KABOOM!, the Tennessee Titans and Cleary Construction. Together, we can help give children the opportunity to get outdoors, have fun and flourish in our state’s rural communities.”

Officials said the playground represents an investment of more than $285,000 in the success and wellbeing of the Clay County community, adding that investments in parks and play spaces can have substantial economic benefits, especially in struggling communities. Furthermore, the project highlights the Lee administration’s focus on supporting rural Tennessee, encouraging community involvement, and promoting the profound impact of public-private partnerships.

“Cleary Construction and the Cleary Family are grateful for the opportunity to partner with First Lady Maria Lee in her Tennessee Serves initiative to provide a safe and exciting new playground for the community of Hermitage Springs,” said Dawn Cleary, co-owner of Cleary Construction. “We are honored to be a part of the preparation and completion of this project for our neighboring friends of Clay County. We hope this program will have a long-lasting, positive impact on many families and future generations.”

The Tennessee Serves team enlisted state businesses and community partners to multiply the philanthropic success achieved achieved by this new playground, which represents the unification of local government, state government, teachers, families, volunteers, statewide and local businesses, magnifying the impact of investment in the Clay County community, according to officials.

“ONE Community aims to support Nashville’s most underrepresented and marginalized communities through three key areas of focus – opportunity, neighborhoods, and education. We are proud to support the Clay County neighborhood in partnership with the Office of the First Lady, Kaboom! and other fantastic local leaders,” said Johari Matthews, the Titans’ vice president of ONE Community and executive director of the Titans Foundation. “All children deserve a safe and imaginative place to learn, grow and play. We hope this playground will serve as an anchor for the community and the families who call it home for many years to come.”

This year is the fifth anniversary of the first lady’s Tennessee Serves initiative, with this project marking the initiative’s largest scale project to date. To learn more about Tennessee Serves, click here.