Alex has spoken about his project to the Harford County Council, community groups and churches. He readily shares the details and likes to juxtapose photos of the playground today and diagrams of what he calls "a fancy, colorful play system."
"This is really his story," said Spencer Herculson, 18, an Eagle Scout who has been a mentor to Alex. "This is an awesome project, something he wants to do in his heart."
After countless speeches, e-mails and phone calls, Alex is nearly there. Working with Playworld Systems, he said he has chosen a fully accessible system with 20 components - in red, white and blue. Russians traditionally decorate recreation areas with folklore figures. Two 8-foot-tall wooden totem poles, carved in Harford County, will grace the entrance to Hospital No. 20. Alex chose an eagle and a bear, the dual symbols of his heritage.
"This is wonderful on so many different levels, and it's driven by children for other children," said Andrea Hartig, whose son is in the troop. "We don't always see that side of kids."
Several volunteers will practice assembling the play system here in the spring. Then they will disassemble and ship the components to Krasnoyarsk, a trip that will take at least 45 days by ship and train. Alex, his father and about 10 other volunteers will fly to Krasnoyarsk next summer and build the playground.
Alex is keeping his own journal now. He has logged more than 400 hours, exchanged more than 300 e-mails to 45 cities in four countries to research and complete this project. The effort will ultimately require 2,000 volunteer hours and about $60,000, about $50,000 of which has been raised from contributions, a letter-writing campaign, as well as pit beef and candy sales.
"This project could demonstrate that those of us adopted have not forgotten our birth home and are being raised to be good, responsible people," he said. "This project will forever link the hundreds of people involved, half a world apart, in a good and positive way. I made a commitment to complete this project, and I will do it."
