Life Scout raising money to build park for children with autism
A Las Cruces boy scout wants to help kids with special needs, taking on a big project that you’ll soon see come to life at Young Park.
14-year-old Barrow Williams says he was diagnosed with high functioning autism when he was younger. He’s currently a “life scout” who’s earned a lot of badges, but to become an eagle scout, he’s taking on a big project: raising money for playground equipment for children with autism.
A rendering of the project shows three panels, one for music where kids can hit bongos, another with different shapes and a third with marbles that children can touch.
The equipment is supposed to calm autistic children.
“It would’ve been really nice to have something like this. So I felt why don’t I help the other kid who may not have as much resources as I had, why don’t I help them?” Williams said.
His project happens to coincide with a much larger “inclusive playground” the city already planned on building at Young Park. That project is costing a little over $300,000. They’ve also received numerous donations.
“We were talking about having an inclusive playground,” Director of the Parks and Recreation Department Sonya Delgado said. “A few months later we get a call from Barrow saying, ‘I have a great idea why don’t we put sensory panels somewhere?’ and we said this would be the perfect place.”
