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Keystone Mercy Breaks Ground on New, Safe Playground at Village Charter School

October 17, 2007
Philadelphia, PA - Keystone Mercy Health Plan held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, October 15, 2007 for the new, safe playground to be built at Village Charter School in Chester Township next week on October 22.

In attendance for the groundbreaking were leaders from Keystone Mercy Health Plan, including Daniel J. Hilferty, President and CEO, and Anne Morrissey, President of Pennsylvania Managed Care, as well as leaders from Village Charter School, including Headmaster John Linder. They were joined by Pennsylvania State Representative Thaddeus Kirkland, who said he plans to pitch in on the Build Day next week.  Chester Mayor Wendell N. Butler, Jr. was also in attendance.

Attendees heard remarks from Daniel Hilferty and Anne Morrissey of Keystone Mercy, as well as Headmaster Linder of Village Charter School, and Representative Kirkland. After these remarks, students from Village Charter School joined all in attendance to break ground on the site of the new playground. The children were delighted to get to dig a few shovels-full out of the site of their new place to play.

Anne Morrissey summed up her thoughts on the importance of the endeavor for her company, saying that Keystone Mercy has made a commitment to the children in the community that goes beyond healthcare. “At Keystone Mercy, we care about our members’ overall health and wellbeing, and that’s why we look for different ways we can positively impact their lives outside of the healthcare realm,” said Morrissey. “This playground is a great example of a unique way to help children stay healthy, active, and ready to learn. We’re breaking ground today in an effort to add to the safety, happiness, and wellbeing of over 500 children. And that’s going to have a powerful impact on these students, this school, and this community.

The playground will provide a setting for safe, healthy physical activity for close to 800 students at the school. The leadership teams of Keystone Mercy Health Plan and the Village Charter School will be joined by local legislators, community members, and students and faculty for the ceremony. The playground build is sponsored by Keystone Mercy Health Plan and will take place this coming Monday, October 22, 2007. The build will be completed in one day by the Keystone Mercy Leadership team, school leaders, and members of the community. As part of the project, a mural will also be painted and benches installed in the area surrounding the new playground.

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, preventable injuries are the leading cause of death for children under the age of 14 in the U.S., with more than 14 million children sustaining preventable injuries that require medical attention each year. As part of their mission to help build healthier communities, Keystone Mercy Health Plan is interested in developing safe play spaces that decrease injuries, while promoting the healthy development of children through play. This is Keystone Mercy’s second safe playground project, utilizing tools and guidelines provided by KABOOM!, a national non-profit organization that envisions a safe place to play within walking distance of every child in America. Keystone Mercy associates and volunteers from the community built a playground at Luis Munoz-Marin Elementary School in Philadelphia in March 2007.

For more information about this playground project, please visit http://projects.kaboom.org/village.

About Keystone Mercy Health Plan
Keystone Mercy Health Plan, a health care ministry of the Sisters of Mercy in affiliation with Keystone First, Inc., is the largest Medical Assistance managed care organization in Pennsylvania, serving more than 290,000 Medical Assistance recipients. Keystone Mercy's mission is to help people get care, stay well and build healthy communities. For more information about Keystone Mercy Health Plan, please visit www.keystonemercy.com.

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