Mark White, a father of two children adopted from Poland, is the founder of Playgrounds of Peace -- an organization dedicated to bringing play and building community in far off and forgotten places for children who need them most. The following is our interview with this determined global visionary.

Why are you an advocate for play? What got you started in this issue?
I am an advocate for play because of the social, emotional and physical development benefits it provides for children. No other activity can accomplish these developmental elements at one time like play. I got involved initially for the purpose of safety, risk management and preventing liability claims. As my knowledge and experience grew, so did my understanding of the importance of play. A trip to a Polish orphanage changed my life. I saw first-hand what happens to kids who do not have the same opportunities for play as their counterparts in America. As a result of this first trip, two playgrounds have been built in Poland and two Polish children from the orphanage are now my son and daughter.

How did you garner support for your effort?
I garnered support for my vision of building playgrounds for the most needy children in the world by first appealing to the playground equipment manufacturer that my District had purposed in excess of 1 million dollars in product and services. I then went to friends, relatives and my church for individual donations for travel expenses. I became involved with KaBOOM! and attended U –Play!, a training on how to build a playground. As a result, I won a gift card from The Home Depot, which helped me put together a complete tool kit to take overseas for the playground building projects.

Through the gracious generosity of the manufacturer and extensive fundraising, we were able to complete one playground at a rural Polish orphanage (Dom Dziecka) and another at an elementary school in the city of Poznan.

What actions did you take to promote play in the villages?
I worked with several Christian missionaries in Poland who volunteered at the orphanage and eventually a small elementary school to promote the need for adequate play opportunities and environments for the children they served. Through these missionaries, I was able to establish trust and a good working relationship with the Polish administrators of these institutions. I used the KaBOOM! Road Map as my guide for building support and cooperation.

How did you engage the locals on this issue?
I made presentations at each facility and developed a plan for building the playground.

What challenges did you face in trying to make time and space for play in another country?
Language and cultural barriers were the big challenges at first. The logistics of getting the correct materials and supplies to the site was also initially a challenge.

How did you attempt to overcome those challenges?
Through a dedicated group of interpreters, email and SKYPE, we were able to communicate and build understanding for the project.

What advice would you give to those wanting to establish playspaces in other countries?
Finding people ("boots on the ground") that know the language and culture is essential to a successful playground build outside of the USA.

Congratulations Mark on all the amazing work you are doing as a Playmaker!

Playmaker Home

KaBOOM! National Campaign for Play

Playmakers in action:
Myrdin Jhana Thompson
Dr. Frank Kelly
Eileen Spitalny
Mayor Tammy de Weerd
Richard Bemm
Kathy Little
Gina Lazo
Cynthia Gentry