WCCO: Anonymous donor gives $200K towards metro school's quest for accessible playground

January 9, 2023

Glen Lake Elementary got a call that prompted a surprise celebration. “Somebody had seen our news story and they were living in Minnesota and they reached out to their financial advisor," said teacher and project organizer Betsy Julien.

"We found recently there's been an anonymous donor. An individual who lives in Minnesota who also has accessibility challenges wanted to help out in a gigantic way," Radel said. "We have a donation of $200,000!"

They were all excited, but fifth grader John Buettner – who uses a wheelchair – was stunned.  "I felt emotionally melted. I don't have any words for what I was feeling at that very moment," Buettner said.

"When I heard those words, I, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret here. I almost started crying. Like, I teared up.” Buettner confided. “And hearing those words come from the principal of the school really tells me that this is going to happen."

"To be able to see how much love and how loved they feel that other people are fighting that for them to be able to have that equal playground is just pretty darn special," Julien said.

With this donation, the student have met round one of funding, meaning they are going ahead and putting in the order for the merry-go-round and accessible swing.