Able to Play

Wondering why Fair Play for All is important to GT Independence?

GT Independence is more than a Financial Management Services (FMS) or payroll company. We are passionate advocates for people with disabilities. We were founded by a family, for families. We experienced having our own children sidelined when playgrounds weren’t inclusive. And we believe that every child has a right to play.

We look forward to the day that every playground is inclusive. Until then, check out this video with Holly Carmichael, our CEO, and Natalie Mackay, executive director of Unlimited Play. They talk about the importance of including everyone at the playground.

Help GT Independence & Unlimited Play Fund a New Playground!

Funding and education are both important to building more inclusive playgrounds. That’s why GT Independence is teaming up with Unlimited Play. For the entire month of August, GT will donate $5 (up to a maximum of $5,000) for every share of our Facebook Fair Play for All “Able to Play” posts. Watch for the posts that include #FairPlayForAll and #AbleToPlay.

Share Your Story for a Chance to Win!

We are honoring stories about inclusive play and invite you to share your experiences. Throughout August, we’ll make Tuesday Fair Play for All Facebook posts that you can comment on. By commenting on these posts, you’re entered into a random drawing for a chance to win a $100 gift card to The Able Fables online store. The Able Fables is an inclusive movement and children’s picture book series that tells stories of love and the ability to create a more inclusive world. Please see the Rules, Terms, and Conditions for eligibility.

• Official Rules, Terms, and Conditions
  1. Eligibility: The Prize portion of this Campaign is open only to those who reply to (also called comment on) the specified posts on Facebook that meet the guidelines stated in the Official Rules and who are at least 18 years of age as of the date of entry. The Campaign is only open to legal residents of the United States and is void where prohibited by law. Employees of GT Independence, its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, and suppliers, (collectively the “Employees”), and immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of Employees are not eligible to participate in the Prize portion of the Campaign. The Donation portion of this Campaign is open to all individuals with a Facebook account. The Campaign is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited.
  2. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE THE CHANCES OF WINNING.
  3. Being selected as a winner does not constitute an endorsement from GT Independence.
  4. Campaign Period: The campaign will go live Aug. 1, 2024.  The contest closes at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, Aug. 31, 2024.
  5. Agreement to Rules: By participating, the Contestant (“You”) agree to be fully unconditionally bound by these Rules, and You represent and warrant that You meet the eligibility requirements. In addition, You agree to accept the decisions of GT Independence as final and binding as it relates to the content of this Campaign.
  6. How to Enter: The Campaign must be entered by commenting on eligible “Able to Play” posts. Entrants must be at least 18 years of age or older to participate, or the age of majority in their state, as required by law.
  7. Limitations on Entries: You may enter only once per eligible post. You must provide the information requested. You may not enter more times than indicated by using multiple email addresses, identities, or devices in an attempt to circumvent the rules. If You use fraudulent methods or otherwise attempt to circumvent the rules, your entry may be removed from eligibility at the sole discretion of GT Independence.
  8. Prizes and Prizes Conditions: There will be four (4) Prizes, one per week, which will be awarded on or around Aug. 9, 16, 23 and 30, 2024. The Prize Winner, upon confirmation of eligibility, will receive a $100 gift card to The Able Fables online store (theablefables.com). Only one Prize will be awarded per person. The total Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) of each Prize is $100.
  9. Prize Restrictions: There is a limit of one (1) Prize per person/household. The Prizes are not redeemable for cash. No substitution, assignment or transfer of the Prizes is permitted, except by GT Independence, who reserves the right to substitute the Prize or Prize component with another of equal or greater value. Winner is responsible for any and all federal, state, and/or local taxes and fees associated with Prize receipt and/or use.  Acceptance of Prize constitutes permission for GT Independence to use Winner’s name, likeness, and entry for purposes of advertising and trade without further compensation, including participation in video interviews, unless prohibited by law.
  10. Odds: The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  11. Winner Selection and Notification:
      • Prizes: On or around Aug. 9, 16, 23 and 30, 2024, GT Independence will conduct a random drawing at the offices of their external marketing agency, Finn Partners, located at 905 SW 16th Ave, Portland, OR 97205 from all eligible entries received throughout the campaign period to select four (4) potential winners for the Able Fables gift cards. Winners will be contacted via social media (Facebook) within five (5) days following selection of Winner to exchange email contact. Winners will then be contacted via email with further instructions. If Winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim the Prize within 5 days from the time award notification was sent, or fails to timely return a completed and executed declaration and release as required, the Prize may be forfeit and an alternate Winner selected. Receipt by Winner of the Prize offered in this Campaign is conditioned upon compliance with any and all federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
      • GT Independence shall have no liability for Winner’s failure to receive notices due to spam, junk email, or other security settings or for Winner’s provision of incorrect or otherwise non-functioning contact information. Following the drawing, Able Fables gift cards will be digitally delivered to winners’ provided email addresses within 4-6 weeks. In the event a Prize email is undeliverable, the Prize is forfeited without compensation. GT Independence is not responsible for incorrect email information provided during entry..
      • ANY VIOLATION OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES BY WINNER (AT GT INDEPENDENCE’S SOLE DISCRETION) WILL RESULT IN WINNER’S DISQUALIFICATION AS WINNER OF THE CAMPAIGN, AND ALL PRIVILEGES AS WINNER WILL BE IMMEDIATELY TERMINATED.
  12. Donation to Unlimited Play Playgrounds: During the Sweepstakes Period (Aug. 1 – August 31, 2024), GT Independence will donate $5 to Unlimited Play (a nonprofit organization located at 5988 Mid Rivers Mall Dr Suite 230, St Peters, MO 63304) for each share of designated Facebook posts, up to a maximum donation of $5,000. The donation amount will be calculated based on the total number of shares across all eligible posts, as tracked by Meta’s Performance metrics, specifically Interactions, within the Meta Business Suite Content section. Participation in the donation campaign is open to anyone, regardless of age or relationship to GT Independence, subject to Facebook’s terms of service. However, entry into the Sweepstakes is limited to individuals who meet the eligibility requirements stated herein, including being 18 years of age or older and a legal resident the United States.
  13. Rights Granted by You: By entering. You understand and agree that GT Independence, anyone acting on behalf of GT Independence, and GT Independence’s licensees, successors, and assigns, shall have the right, where permitted by law, to print, publish, broadcast, distribute, and use in any media now known or hereafter developed, in perpetuity and throughout the World, without limitation, your entry, name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness, image, statements about the Campaign, and biographical information for news, publicity, information, trade, advertising, public relations, and promotional purposes without any further compensation, notice, review, or consent.
  14. Terms & Conditions: GT Independence reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Campaign should virus, bug, non-authorized human intervention, fraud, or other cause beyond GT Independence’s control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, or proper conduct of the Campaign. In such case, GT Independence may select the Winner from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by GT Independence. GT Independence reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Campaign or website or violates these Terms & Conditions. GT Independence has the right, in its sole discretion, to maintain the integrity of the Campaign, to void votes for any reason, including, but not limited to: multiple entries from the same user from different IP addresses; multiple entries from the same computer in excess of that allowed by Campaign rules; or the use of bots, macros, scripts, or other technical means for entering. Any attempt by an entrant to deliberately damage any website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Campaign may be a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such attempt be made, GT Independence reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law.
  15. Limitation of Liability: By entering, You agree to release and hold harmless GT Independence and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers, and directors from any liability, illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, claim, or damage that may occur, directly or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from: (i) such entrant’s participation in the Campaign and/or his/her/their acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any Prize or any portion thereof; (ii) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to the malfunction of any computer, cable, network, hardware, or software, or other mechanical equipment; (iii) the unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions, telephone, or Internet service; (iv) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (v) electronic or human error in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries.
  16. Agreement to Rules: By participating, the Contestant (“You”) agree to be fully unconditionally bound by these Rules, and You represent and warrant that You meet the eligibility requirements. In addition, You agree to accept the decisions of GT Independence as final and binding as it relates to the content of this Campaign.
  17. Disputes: THIS CAMPAIGN IS GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND MICHIGAN, WITHOUT RESPECT TO CONFLICT OF LAW DOCTRINES. As a condition of participating in this Campaign, participant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between the parties, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Campaign, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court located in Michigan having jurisdiction. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances shall participant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby waives all rights to, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, including reasonable attorney’s fees, other than participant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., costs associated with entering this Campaign). Participant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.
  18. Privacy Policy: Information submitted with an entry is subject to the Privacy Policy stated on the GT Independence website. To read the Privacy Policy, click here.
  19. Winners List: To obtain a copy of the Winner’s name or a copy of these Official Rules, mail your request along with a self-addressed envelope to: GT Independence, 215 Broadus St., Sturgis, MI 49091. Requests must be received no later than Sept. 30, 2024.
  20. The Campaign hosted by GT Independence is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook. By entering an eligible entry into the contest via Facebook, You, the Contestant, have affirmatively reviewed, accepted, and agreed to all the Official Rules.  

How Fair Play for All Got Started

Fair Play for All began with Holly Carmichael, CEO of GT Independence, and her daughter Maggie.

A few years ago, there was not a single ADA-compliant playground in St. Joseph County, Michigan. Maggie has a rare disease called PMM2-CDG. And to play, she had to get out of her wheelchair and onto wood chips during recess. She would then come home with splinters. She also couldn’t access any of the swings or slides.

Holly stepped up and spoke with the local school board about building a playground. One that all children could enjoy. After three years of studying, reading, summarizing research, and citing resources to the school district, Holly became an accessible, inclusive playground designer.

She designed the first ADA-compliant playground in St. Joseph County. A place for Maggie and everyone in the community to enjoy.