By Lisa E. Crowley
BrocktonPost
BROCKTON—When volunteers in Brockton install a new state-of-the-art playground at the Brookfield Playground, they will have a lot of people to thank, including Dianne And Rick Snelgrove, who in the name of their daughter Victoria, donated more than $20,000.
“There are things to swing on, crawl through, hang on, slide on, and play on. I think the kids are going to love it,” said East Bridgewater resident Dianne Snelgrove of the new playground.
The installation begins, Saturday, Aug. 13 at 7 a.m. at the Brookfield Elementary School
Snelgrove, her husband Rick, and more than 40 volunteers from Brockton and other surrounding towns are expected to arrive at Brookfield Playground to begin the installation of a playground organizers have spent more than 2 years raising money, designing plans, and seeking donations of services and materials to turn a vacant lot into a mecca-of-fun for not only normally-abled youngsters, but also those with physical disabilities.
The Snelgroves, whose daughter Victoria was tragically killed by a Boston Police pepper-spray bullet Oct. 21, 2004 when riots erupted during the Red Sox run-up to winning the World Series, donated $20,000 toward the project, putting the project over the top financially and opening the doors to today’s installation.
Dianne Snelgrove said while “Torie” is unable to attend the day-long installation, which includes a barbecue for volunteers, she and her husband are happy to get their hands dirty moving dirt or helping in any way they can.
“We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Snelgrove said.
Kritina Lutz, a paraprofessional at the school and who helped lead the fundraising drive, said the Snelgroves have been so generous and gracious, and believes their help with the playground is a beautiful tribute to their daughter’s unexpected death.
Lutz said while organizers have raised about $25,000 to $30,000 in money, services and materials, another $20,000 was needed to buy the see-saws, slides, swings and other equipment that will fill the new playground—which because of a rubber surface will be accessible to children with physical disabilities.
“This wouldn’t have happened without Rick and Dianne,” Lutz said. “They are bringing so much joy to other children,” she said.
Lutz said through area friends and school officials, she heard the Snelgroves had created a fund in their daughter’s name that had donated money to other playground projects.
Lutz said she contacted the Snelgroves, who came to Brockton, checked out the site, and without hesitation agreed to give $20,000 toward the project.
Dianne said the project is eminently worthy, and has found that Torie’s fund has evolved from one that gives to scholarships at Emerson—where Victoria was a student before the shooting—and East Bridgewater where she went to high school—to one that began to pay for playground projects.
She said the fund’s mission is to enhance others’ lives, and the playground projects are a great way to honor Torie’s memory.
“Torie would be thrilled with what’s going on. She never let anything stop her. She had such a zest for life,” Snelgrove said.
Snelgrove said the playground projects began in 2006 with Torie’s Place playground in West Bridgewater on Spring Street, and has continued with others in East Bridgewater, North Easton and Easthampton.
The Brookfield project is the fifth.
Snelgrove said Torie’s death has been extraordinarily difficult on herself and her husband Rick.
The more than $5 million settlement is little solace for the family, and she and Rick have good days and bad days.
“When Torie died a part of my husband and I went with her,” Snelgrove said.
However, she said, they know Torie would not want them to shrink from life and would find it a comfort that they are helping others in Torie’s memory.
“We are going to have to keep going for her. She would tell us ‘don’t let your grief hold you back.’ She would want us to keep on keeping on. So we keep on keeping on,” Snelgrove said.
“This is her legacy,” she said.
Contributions are still being accepted for the Brookfield Playground and can be made to: Brookfield School PTO, 135 Jon Drive, Brockton, MA 02302
The Victoria Snelgrove Memorial Fund can be reached at www.victoriasnelgrove.org.
(Photo above courtesy Kristina Lutz: Dave Garfield and his son Brendan roll over gravel as they prepare the Brookfield Playground for Saturday's equipment installation)
