Timothy Sowders

11 years old
died 5/24/2004 when a hit and run truck struck the rear of the car he was riding in.
Mother and twin brother were injured but survived.

Volunteers and grants provide a new playground for St. Rose of Lima

200 people build playground dedicated to memory of 11-year-old Timothy Sowders

By DCR Staff
“It was like a barn raising,” but instead of building a barn, the 200 volunteers put up a new playground.
That was how Marge Munden, assistant principal for the Denver Archdiocese’s six SUN schools described what happened Nov. 4 at St. Rose of Lima School, 1345 W. Dakota Ave. The SUN schools are Catholic elementary schools located in inner-city Denver that serve low-income, high minority populations.

“It was a wonderful day, because everyone was working together,” Munden said.

Two corporate partners, First Data and Computer Associates International Inc., provided volunteers that assisted those from the St. Rose School community in tearing down the school’s 40-year-old playground equipment and putting up the new.

Grants from Computer Associates and the Seeds of Hope Charitable Trust funded the new $60,000 playground. The effort was organized by KaBOOM!, a nonprofit organization that facilitates the construction of much-needed playgrounds across the country.

St. Rose is the third SUN school KaBOOM! has helped to provide a playground to. Organizers said it was the 52nd playground that Computer Associates has been involved in.
The safe, cheerful red, blue and green playground includes swings, monkey bars, slides and a teeter-totter. It is dedicated to the memory of Timothy Sowders, an 11-year-old boy who died in a car accident in May. Half the project volunteers were from First Data, where Sowders’ father, Scott, is employed.
Volunteers started the project at 9 a.m. and the playground was done by 2:30 p.m., Munden said.

The completed project was celebrated with a flag ceremony conducted by Timothy Sowders’ Boy Scout troop, a ribbon cutting and a milk-and-brownies toast.
“We could not have done this without the volunteers, the grants and Kaboom,” Munden said.

“It is a dream come true for our children and faculty. It is a beautiful playground.”

Funded by

Volunteers provided by

Organized by

Monument being built in
Timmy's memory

Family Memorial - Remembering Timmy

commissioned by First Data Corporation

Letter from Timmy's father, Scott 5/22/05
After a year of court proceedings, the hit-and-run driver was convicted of two class 4 felonies. On May 13, 2004, the hit-and-run driver was sentenced to four years in Colorado Department of Corrections.

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