One year after Kelsey Kuhns passed away, her classmates at the Mifflinburg Area Middle School chose to honor her by proclaiming November 1st, Kelsey Kuhns Memorial Day. Along with Kelsey’s mom, Tina and her younger sister, Kylie, the students sold wristbands and T-shirts, imprinted with an image that Kelsey designed for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, for people to wear on the anniversary of her passing. Tina asked her youngest daughter to decide what the proceeds from the sale should be used for, and 10 year old Kylie chose to build a playground for the Mifflinburg Intermediate School. The family felt it would be in Kelsey’s heart, too. Kelsey was a student in the district before she lost her battle to cancer, in 2005. She was a sixth grader at that time. Family and friends wanted to keep her memory alive. The school just opened in 2006, and did not have a playground for the students. With everything in place, they waited for a warm, dry day to place the equipment at the site.

That day came on March 14, 2007. Two signs were placed at the entrance of the playground to share Kelsey’s story. One sign was imprinted with Kelsey’s picture, some of her artwork and a message she wrote to the American Cancer Society. This message by Kelsey, encourages others to stay strong, no matter what, and never give up. The other sign displays a picture of Kelsey and Kylie along with a letter from Kylie explaining why she chose to build the playground. “Kelsey’s Playground” is located behind the intermediate school. The school now has a series of climbing walls and a toss up that would be the envy of any community. Thank you to the local Boy Scout troop for their help in placing a whole tractor trailer load of wood fiber (mulch), under the playground. For those who were involved with the project, it was a labor of love, a way to keep Kelsey’s memory alive. We hope that the playground is more than just a place where people come to play. We want them to remember Kelsey, keep her in their heart and keep her spirit alive like we are trying to do with this project.