Richmond School Playground Campaign Close to Goal

By Cynthia Drummond for BRVCA

July 28th 2025

RICHMOND – With the start of school less than a month away, it is unlikely that the children will have new playground equipment when they return on Aug. 27. But they may have their playground as soon as this fall.

The equipment was removed in April, after an inspection revealed that it had deteriorated to the point of being dangerous.

The Maddie Potts Foundation launched a GoFundMe campaign on April 11, the date of what would have been Maddie’s 25th birthday. 

The foundation was started by Stephanie and Dan Potts, and sister, Julia, in memory of Maddie, a star Chariho athlete who died from a brain aneurysm during a soccer game at Chariho High School.

As of Monday, the GoFundMe page showed that more than $15,000 has been raised. The goal of the campaign is $111,111.

Foundation Treasurer Melissa DeJoseph is coordinating the online and other fundraising efforts, which included a golf tournament in June, that raised $6,200. The Rhode Island Department of Health has also made a grant to the playground of $25,000, and the foundation has received donations from community members.

“The checks and cash, actually we just got another check, it’s about $3,000,” DeJoseph said. “With the golf tournament being about $6,200, so we’re at about $24,000.”

The new equipment is expected to cost about $200,000.

“The school got a $25,000 grant from the Rhode Island Department of Health and then – I wasn’t at the meeting because we were away – but I know that the School Committee approved $95,000 from our capital plan to go towards it,” DeJoseph said. “We’ve raised raised $24,000. With the grant of $25,000 and the School Committee giving us $95,000, that’s $150,000.”

DeJoseph noted that the foundation may announce additional fundraising events.

“We really want to be a part of this and help get the construction started,” she said.

The Richmond Elementary School PTO has been cleared by the School Committee to fundraise for the playground.

PTO President Thea Brennan said she was pleased with the success of the fundraising effort so far.

“I am very happy,” she said. “Between the money that we’ve been able to get directly donated to the school that has been donated through Maddie Potts [Foundation] that they’ve additionally raised on top of the grants that have been funded and the money that the School Committee moved over from capital funds, I’m very excited, and I know they have at least one company that said they could get it done this fall. So, I feel excited that there’s a possibility that this could happen sooner rather than later.”

The playground lot now stands largely empty, but children are still playing there. The Maddie Potts Foundation donated about $1,000 for outdoor games and toys and the play area now has a layer of fresh sand, a donation from the local company, Richmond Sand and Stone.

Brennan noted that the campaign, which began only three months ago, has been surprisingly successful.

“I’m just so proud of the community and the way we came together and all the donations we’ve received,” she said. “I can’t wait to see the new one and I hope it happens as soon as possible.”