This was the 16th playground built together by Smile Generation and KABOOM since 2010.
IRVINE, CALIF. November 19, 2021 – More than 60 volunteers from Smile Generation®, KABOOM! and the local community joined together to build a kid-designed playground in only one day for the YMCA of West San Gabriel Valley in Alhambra, California. The playground opened Nov. 15.
Notable officials who attended the event included: Ed Chau, California State Assemblymember, 49th District; Susan Rubio, California State Senator; Kathryn Barger, Los Angeles County Supervisor, and Sasha Renée Pérez, Mayor of Alhambra.
This was the 16th playground that Smile Generation and KABOOM!, a national non-profit focused on ending playspace inequity, have built together since 2010. Each year, Smile Generation and KABOOM! identify a playground-needy region and location from around the country; the YMCA of West San Gabriel Valley was chosen for 2021. In preparation for the event, children from the surrounding community were asked to draw their dream playground. The playground that was built is based off their drawings and will provide the local community a great, safe place to play for years to come.
“It never ceases to amaze me what can be accomplished when there’s a collective outpouring of energy, support and collaboration,” said Kyle Guerin, a Smile Generation Ambassador and Director, Pacific Dental Services® Corporate Social Responsibility. “We’re proud to have an impact on the West San Gabriel Valley area and all the young kids that will be able to enjoy this playground. As dental professionals, people are at the center of why we love our work whether that be caring for their oral health or volunteering for projects that will improve their overall health, lives and smiles.”
“The innovative new playground at the YMCA of West San Gabriel Valley will offer countless social, emotional and physical benefits of play to thousands of kids each year,” KABOOM! CEO Lysa Ratliff said. “We are thrilled to work alongside our partners and come one step closer to ensuring every single child in Alhambra has an amazing place to play and thrive.”
The YMCA of West San Gabriel Valley serves the cities of Alhambra, Monterey Park, Rosemead and San Gabriel, while providing recreational activities, childcare, day camps, annual events and more to members of the community.
“At the Y, strengthening community is our cause. We believe that positive, lasting personal and social change can only come about when we all work together to invest in our kids, our health, and our neighbors. The YMCA of West San Gabriel Valley is represented by a diverse community united around a common goal. It’s a place where our kids speak ‘the universal language of play’ and everyone is welcome,” said Valarie Gomez, CEO of YMCA of West San Gabriel Valley.
To view photos of volunteers building the playground, click here.
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About Smile Generation
The Smile Generation connects patients to Smile Generation-trusted dentists who are dedicated to providing an exceptional patient experience and advanced clinical care. Smile Generation also provides financial choices for patients and education about the connection between oral health and overall health. The Smile Generation network spans 850 dental offices in 25 states. Smile Generation-trusted offices are supported by Pacific Dental Services®.
For more information, visit us at www.smilegeneration.com
Facebook: @smilegen
Instagram: @smilegeneration
Twitter: @smilegen
YouTube: @SmileGenerationTV
About the Y
Driven by its founding mission, the Y has served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community for more than 175 years. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they came from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships, and opportunities for all to learn, grow, and thrive. By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives, and generations, the Y’s goal is to improve overall health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment, and demonstrate the importance of connections in and across 10,000 communities nationwide.
About KABOOM!
KABOOM! is the national non-profit that works to achieve playspace equity. Kids who don’t have access to play miss out on childhood and are denied critical opportunities to build physical, social and emotional health. And all too often, it more deeply affects communities of color. So we amplify the power of communities to build inspiring playspaces that spark unlimited opportunities for every kid, everywhere. KABOOM! has teamed up with partners to build or improve 17,000+ playspaces, engage more than 1.5 million community members and bring joy to more than 11 million kids. To learn about our goal to end playspace inequity for good, visit KABOOM.org and join the conversation at twitter.com/KABOOM, facebook.com/KABOOM, and instagram.com/KABOOM.
About Pacific Dental Services
Founded in 1994, Pacific Dental Services (“PDS”) is one of the country’s leading dental support organizations, providing supported autonomy that enables dentists to concentrate on clinical excellence and the highest levels of cost-effective, comprehensive patient care. PDS originated the Private Practice + ® model to enable dentists to focus on their passion: serving patients. PDS also pioneered the concept of Modern Dentistry so that dentists are equipped to combine advances in the latest technology with the best operational practices and procedures, highly skilled support staff and a commitment to ongoing training and education. PDS continues to grow, with more than 850 supported dental offices across the United States. PDS has been on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in America 14 times. PDS supported dentists aim to be the provider of choice in all the markets they serve and to develop Patients for Life™. For more information, visit us at pacificdentalservices.com.
Facebook: @pacificdentalservices and @experiencePDS
Instagram: @pacific.dental and @experiencePDS
LinkedIn: @pacific-dental-services
Twitter: @pacificdental
YouTube: @pacificdentaltv