New Richmond School Playground Opens

November 19th 2025

RICHMOND – As the children did their best to sit quietly and contain their excitement, officials joined them for Tuesday’s grand opening of the new Richmond Elementary School playground.

The Potts family, Stephanie, Dan and Julia, were on hand for the opening that the Maddie Potts Foundation had helped make possible. 

The foundation was started by Stephanie and Dan Potts and Julia, in memory of their older daughter, Maddie, a star Chariho athlete who died from a brain aneurysm during a soccer game at Chariho High School. Both Maddie and Julia Potts attended Richmond Elementary School. 

Last March, when inspectors found the equipment in the old playground had deteriorated to the point that it had become unsafe, the equipment was quickly removed, leaving a bare patch of ground.  

Efforts to raise money for new playground equipment began almost immediately. On April 11, 2025, the date of what would have been Maddie’s 25th birthday, the foundation launched a GoFundMe campaign which has raised $20,000 for the project.  

“We’re just proud, because of our community and the timing when the playground was condemned was right before Maddie’s birthday and we were able to help in even the smallest way to instigate the community to come together and get this done so quickly,” Stephanie Potts said.

Foundation Treasurer Melissa DeJoseph organized the online campaign.

“This community in general, not just about Maddie’s foundation, but they rally, and they really are such amazing people,” she said. “I am so impressed.”

The Chariho School Committee was also unanimous in its support of the project. Committee Chair and Richmond resident, Louise Dinsmore, explained that members had approved an allocation of $95,000 from the capital budget, and Chariho Development Director Katie Kirakosian applied for and received a $25,000 grant from the Rhode Island Health and Education Building Corporation (RIHEBC). Richmond Sand and Stone donated and installed sand for the project.

“It was a really fantastic effort by a number of different parties that came together,” Dinsmore said. “This is just a great day for Richmond Elementary School – for the kids and for the staff and the community.”

School Committee member Jessica Purcell, also of Richmond, described the many benefits of the playground.

“I think the school is just so much more than what you learn in a classroom,” she said.  “It’s really about kids getting together, playing together, learning together, bringing families together in a safe, welcoming supportive environment, and I’m just so excited to be part of this collaboration, and to see so many of these kids’ faces, ready to play.”

Chariho Superintendent of Schools Gina Picard thanked the Maddie Potts Foundation, the School Committee, the Richmond school PTO and the community as a whole for supporting the project. She also thanked the company that installed the equipment for donating an outdoor Xylophone.

“Even the [playground] installers, Game Ready, provided a Xylophone for our students,” she said. “It truly reflects what can happen when a community comes together on behalf of kids, and we are so grateful for everyone who made this joyful, safe play space a reality.”

The decision of which playground design to choose was made over the summer. Principal Sharon Martin said the design was voted on by herself and school staff.

“We all looked at it and we voted, because the kids weren’t here. It was in the summer,” she said. “It happened very fast, much faster than we expected, but the community rallied behind us and we feel so loved and supported. And, the weather worked out well, so we were able to get somebody out here pretty quickly.”

The ribbon – cutting, accompanied by music from a group of local musicians, was led by Student Council President, Olivia Major.

Then, at last, it was time to play, with students from Grade 4 entering first and the other students following at scheduled intervals. 

Naomi Avilayat, Ava Tibbits, Vivienne Caddick, and Evelyn Corser were itching to get on the slide.

“I felt really happy that we finally had a new playground and I was really excited, Corser said. 

Caddick said she was also excited to have a new playground.

And did the playground meet their expectations?

Avilayat said,

“I was really excited when we got it, because we haven’t had it in months.”

Ava added,

“I really like that big slide up there.”