The Shade Foundation

After surviving melanoma, Shonda Schilling, wife of pitcher Curt Schilling, founded The Shade Foundation of America several years ago.

One of its projects is promoting the use of large shades at playgrounds.

I'm usually cynical about the ultra-safe mentality that has removed many an enjoyable piece of playground equipment, but this is a movement that makes sense and still lets kids be kids.

[Growing up in Phoenix, it's hard not to appreciate the good sense of having some shaded areas instead of pushing the children out into the sun for a thirty or forty minute recess. Since so much of skin damage occurs in the first 20 years of life, some shade today can prevent skin cancer later.]