If you are a Skokie resident and you find yourself in a small mountain village outside of Vanadzor, Armenia, and you happen to wander past a park playground that looks familiar, you probably have actually seen it before.

For the past several years, as the Skokie Park District has renovated their 1990s playgrounds, much of the old equipment has been recycled through the Armenian Relief Mission and Kids Around the World. Both organizations work to change the lives of children in places overseas affected by war, poverty, disease and natural disaster.​

The two groups harvest commercial grade playgrounds from parks, schools, and churches, refurbishing each one for re-installation around the world. Recycled Skokie playground structures have been donated thus far from Devonshire, Sequoya, Oakton, Emerson, McNally and Winnebago Parks.

The photos below of Skokie playground equipment in Armenia were sent to the Skokie Park District via Dr. Ruzanna Hayrapetyan of the Armenian Relief Mission's Vanadzor Medical Clinic.