Michael Baugh was a kid at heart.
The Greenwood resident was always the one organizing neighborhood children to play marathon games in the backyard. He coached his sons and daughters in youth sports, and always had time to help them practice.
Baugh knew the importance of play.
"That was the foundation of everything for him. Kids just need to play, and he was just a big kid who liked to play," said Kelly Baugh, his wife.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
So it’s fitting that in honor of his life, Baugh’s family has helped bring the joy of play to Johnson County children. The family funded the construction of a new playground at the Early Learning Center preschool in New Whiteland.
Being able to go outside and play is an integral part of early childhood education, said Dawn Underwood, director of the Early Learning Center. That makes the Baugh family’s gift an invaluable addition to the school.
"It’s so important for their development to be able to climb and jump and burn some energy," Underwood said. "Their bodies are meant to move. This equipment is so interactive, and I can’t imagine what it would have been like for us not to have this."
On the new green, brown and white play structure, students can climb up stepping-stone stairs, careen down three different slides and stand on towers overlooking their classmates.
Plastic drums, a playhouse with window and steering wheels let kids use their imaginations as they make up games during recess.
Mounted on top of the playground is a simple plaque, featuring a photo of Michael Baugh with his grandson, Logan. The placard reads, "This playground will stand in his honor to symbolize the unwavering love for his family. May each child entering to play be filled with joy & laughter."
The words sum up precisely how Kelli Baugh wanted to remember her husband.
"We have children, and I wanted them to see something that they could come to with their kids and remember their dad," she said.
Michael Baugh died on Sept. 22, 2018, in a motorcycle accident. He was 50 years old. The loss devastated Kelli Baugh and their children, and since that time, they had searched for the right way to honor him.
They tossed around some ideas, but nothing seemed to fit exactly right, Kelli Baugh said.
"I had been thinking of what I could do as a permanent memorial to him. I needed to honor him in some way. It had to be the perfect thing, and I had a lot of different ideas," she said.
But that changed during a conversation with Underwood. She and Kelli Baugh were close friends, having known each other since they were children. During a trip they planned in January, Underwood was talking about the Early Learning Center’s new home, which was planned to open in the spring.
Early Learning Community, a nonprofit community preschool providing services to children ages 3 to 5, had previously been housed inside elementary school buildings in Greenwood. Finally, it had its own stand-alone location, allowing the school to serve more children, Underwood said.
But remodeling costs to the facility had been expensive. Even through the location had a grassy lawn that would be perfect for a play structure, the funds just were not available, Underwood said.
"We never thought this was something we could have here, at least without a big fundraiser or a big grant," she said.
Kelli Baugh took note.
"It hit me — my childhood best friend has a need, and I have a need. We can accomplish this together," she said.
Without revealing her intentions, she started planning how much a playground project would cost. She carefully asked Underwood for details about what she would need in a theoretical play area, and put together the donation that could purchase that.
With everything lined up, she finally indicated to Underwood her plans.
"It’s a legacy here, a place for them to come and see that their dad inspired something great that continues on for kids. To have this beautiful piece of equipment means so much," Underwood said.
Much of the project has synced with little details about Michael Baugh, beyond just his playful spirit and love of kids. The equipment was delivered on his and Kelly Baugh’s anniversary. She was able to come see students play on the constructed playground, complete with the plaque on top, just days before the anniversary of his death.
"The timing of it has been perfect," Kelli Baugh said. "There was a need. When he saw a need, he met it; he didn’t wait for someone else to do it. So this is perfect."
