KaBOOM! Leads Ninth Operation Playground Project in the Gulf Coast - Baptist Joins Mississippi Orthopaedic Society at Kreole Elementary School in Moss Point, Miss.

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Contact: Robby Channell, 601-968-5135 rchannell@mbhs.org

Jackson, Miss. – August 23, 2006 - A little rain couldn't stop the volunteers at Kreole Elementary School in Moss Point, Miss. More than 250 volunteers enthusicastically 'weathered' the early morning rain to build a great new place for children in Moss Point to play. The playground was the ninth built by KaBOOM! through Operation Playground, a two-year initiative to build 100 playgrounds in Gulf Coast communities affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Volunteers came from all over to help build the playground. In addition to the Mississippi Orthopaedic Society and the community, volunteers from Stryker, Zimmer, Baptist Health Systems, Mercy House Ministries, Hands On Gulf Coast, NCTC Naval Base in Gulfport, C Co. 169th Engineers (Army), and NOAH also participated in the one-day playground build.

In addition to the playground, volunteers also constructed picnic tables, benches, a shade structure, a pizza garden and painted murals inside the school. The Mississippi Orthopedic Society provided $62,000 toward the project, which they raised from members, vendors and other partners.

Diane Vesa RN, BSN, PACU clinical director, worked with the Surgery and the Emergency Department to recruit volunteers to go to the coast on August 5 to help build the playground. Approximately 60 people from Baptist came to help.

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