ASHEVILLE, N.C. (November 19, 2020)—Aeroflow Healthcare, a nationwide provider of durable medical equipment (DME), announced a donation of $10,000 to assist in the buildout of a local inclusive playground. This donation will help to fund a local Eagle Scout project aimed at revamping the current playground at Lake Tomahawk Park in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
Aeroflow, which is headquartered in Asheville, NC, partnered with a local Eagle Scout, Noah Lewkowicz, a junior at Owen High School, to help bring to life his Eagle Scout project of renovating the existing playground into an inclusive playground for children and adults of all ages and abilities. This included replacing existing mulch at the playground with a new, smooth poured surface, creating ADA-approved concrete ramps for entry to the park, as well as adding in a hardback swing for children with low motor skills.
“Noah began his Eagle Scout project two years ago, just a few years prior a close family friend was in a near-fatal car crash, which left him unable to walk. Following the accident, Noah realized that there weren't many handicap accessible spaces in the whole of Black Mountain,” says Wendy Lewkowicz, Noah’s mother. “Our local playgrounds, in particular, were nearly impossible to navigate and made hard for our friend to take his kids to the park safely. This had a profound impact on Noah, who then made it his mission to make an accessible playground for, not only our family friend, but all families.”
“The community rallied behind Noah to raise a few thousand dollars, but was left with a gap of $10,000 to meet necessary ADA requirements. That’s when Aeroflow swooped in to offer their support,” added Lewkowicz. “Noah, and the whole community by extension, was incredibly touched by Aeroflow’s generosity in covering the entire rest of the project costs, and now all of Black Mountain will have an amazing, accessible playground to share.”
"Within the Urology division of Aeroflow, we work with thousands of children who have physical disabilities. These children, especially those in our own community, deserve the same access to all things in life, including a safe, accessible place to play," said Mica Phillips, Director of Aeroflow Urology. “We are honored to be able to help, even if in a small way, to help bring an inclusive playground to families in our local community.”
The renovations at Lake Tomahawk Park in Black Mountain were recently finalized. The playground was expected to reopen to the public the weekend of Nov. 20, 2020.
