Kortney's Playground to be dedicated Feb. 25

BY CHRISTINE VARNO
Staff Writer

OCEANPORT - A dedication ceremony for Kortney's Playground at Wolf Hill Elementary School will be held Feb. 25 at 2 p.m.

The playground is named for Kortney Rose Gillette, a 9-year-old former student at the Wolf Hill school.

On April 27, 2006, four months after a diagnosis of brainstem glioma, Kortney lost her battle with the pediatric brain tumor.

The Kortney Rose Foundation was born from the Caring for Kortney Charity, which was established during her illness.

The initial goal was to raise funds to improve the Wolf Hill school playground in Kortney's memory.

Fundraising efforts included: Kortney's Challenge, a two-mile walk/run that drew more than 500 registrants; a Lakewood BlueClaws game; donations from local coaches; and funds raised by students.

The efforts drew in an estimated $12,000, and an additional $4,000 was donated by the Andrew Ryan Kaiser Foundation in Middletown.

"When I first presented the idea of additional playground equipment to Wolf Hill School Principal Renee Bonin, she expressed a desperate need for more swings," Kortney's mother, Kristen Gillette, said in a press release.

"She said that children wait in line to use the four existing swings," Gillette said, adding, "Kortney's Playground is adding four more swings."

The playground was installed in early January, and, according to Gillette, "The children are enjoying all of the new equipment.

"Kortney loved to swing and slide and just play, play, play with her friends," Gillette said. "I wanted to do something that would honor her playful spirit and give back to the community of Oceanport who gave so willingly of themselves throughout our ordeal. Kortney's Playground accomplishes that."

Now that the playground equipment is installed, all funds raised will go to support research and education related to the treatment and cure of pediatric brain tumors, which are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children 18 and younger. Annually, more than 3,000 children are diagnosed. This year, fundraising efforts will benefit brain tumor research being conducted at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

For more information about the Kortney Rose Foundation, call Gillette at (732) 222-1491, or e-mail to kortneyroseorg@aol.com.