During the week of May 11 through 16, 2004, more than 4,000 local volunteers gathered at the west entrance to the Salisbury Zoo to build Ben's Red Swings Community Playground. Inspired by the memory of 4-year-old Ben Layton, who died of leukemia in 2002, the playground was designed through the imaginative input of local children and funded by hundreds of local businesses and individuals. Planning began in August 2003 when a committee of 18 dedicated individuals joined together, and after 9 months and countless hours of work, construction officially began on Tuesday, May 11, 2004. Under 12 volunteer construction captains, who each worked at least 14 hours every day from 7 AM until 9 PM for six straight days, volunteers helped with construction, registration, food service, child care, and general assistance. The project became a testament to the spirit and generosity of the Eastern Shore community, creating not only a playground for generations of children to enjoy but also a stronger community with renewed pride in what people could accomplish together.