If you’re like most of your fellow Americans, you probably spent Martin Luther King Jr. Day on your sofa in your PJs binge-watching Westworld and thinking, “Next Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I am totally building a house with Habitat for Humanity.”
If, however, you’re the Obamas, you visited a Washington, D.C., family shelter and play with homeless kids on the playground set that used to belong to Malia and Sasha.
The Jobs Have Priority Naylor Road Family Shelter is now the proud new home of “Malia and Sasha’s Castle,” the first daughters’ beloved wooden play structure erected in 2009 on the White House south lawn. According to the Associated Press, the structure sports three swings, a slide, a tire swing, a fort and climbing wall and ropes. Obama called it “pretty spectacular.”
We think its new lease on life is pretty spectacular too.
The Obamas recently donated the play structure to the shelter, which is based in an apartment complex in D.C. The organization assists homeless single mothers to “achieve self-sufficiency through training, critical support, and employment and housing services.”
On their visit, President Obama happily pushed young residents on the very swings he used to push his own daughters on. “Brings back memories,” he said. Gulp.
Meanwhile, first lady Michelle had a blast playing on the rope swing with some other residents. Melt.
What’s that? That’s not sweet enough for you? FINE: Later in the visit, the couple pitched in painting the shelter’s “Wall of Hope” mural — created by artist Omatayo Akinbolajo — which features Dr. Martin Luther King. They painted butterflies, people. Butterflies.
Gahhh. STOP MAKING US CRY, OBAMAS.
The Obamas reportedly offered to leave the playset behind for the president-elect’s 10-year-old son, Barron, as well as his grandchildren.
You know who passed on the offer, citing the deplorable lack of 24-karat gilding and imported marble. (Actually, we have no idea why he passed on the castle. We thought he liked castles, you guys.)
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