KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Nov. 12, 2019 - Nutter Home Loans was instrumental in getting the Big Walking Piano in the Sybil Silkwood Nutter Playground twenty years ago. Famed artist Remo Saraceni, responsible for the BIG Piano from the Tom Hank's movie BIG, installed this unique outdoor version on the grounds adjacent to the Children's Mercy Hospital campus in 1999. The piano is often referred to as a "walking piano" because it is played by walking or dancing on it, and it's inclusive so children with wheelchairs or leg braces can also play it.
After 20 years, the piano and playground were ready for an update. Variety KC, a nonprofit organization specializing in helping children with disabilities, led the effort to replace the playground by installing new, inclusive playground equipment, including the restoration of the walking piano and by adding other playground musical apparatuses. The playground is used frequently by families who are visiting Children's Mercy Hospital as well as by hospital therapists who incorporate the playground into their child wellness programs.
Some of the donors who contributed to the project include Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes through his 15 and the Mahomes Foundation, Sporting Kansas City, and Nutter Home Loans, among others.
"We are honored to be a part of making this new, inclusive playground and restored piano a reality," said James Nutter, CEO of Nutter Home Loans. "The piano and playground are extraordinary for our community with children and their families visiting Children's Mercy Hospital and surrounding areas."
The Sybil Silkwood Nutter Playground is situated within Hospital Hill Park, a park in the Kansas City Parks system, at 2401 Gillham Rd in Kansas City, Missouri.
About Nutter Home Loans
Nutter Home Loans is a national mortgage lender headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1951, Nutter originates Conventional, FHA, VA, Jumbo, and USDA loans. The company is an equal opportunity home lender and prides itself on its dedication to helping customers achieve the American dream of homeownership as well as home refinancing with cashback options. James B. Nutter & Company DBA Nutter Home Loans, 4153 Broadway, Kansas City, Missouri, 64111. NMLS 2067
About Remo Saraceni
Remo Saraceni is an Italian-born world-renowned artist, kinetic sculptor, engineer, and lighting designer. He is best known for inventing the Walking Piano (Big Piano) that became a hallmark in the major motion picture Big, starring Tom Hanks.
About Variety KC
Variety Children's Charity of Greater Kansas City provides children with developmental disabilities the adaptive equipment and opportunities needed for activity and inclusion. Since 1934, they've helped children in the Kansas City area by providing mobility, communication devices, and inclusion opportunities.
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