Primary Children's receives $100,000

With the holiday giving season right around the corner, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young has kicked things off early with a $100,000 donation to Primary Children's Medical Center.

The money, from the football star's Forever Young Foundation and Sam's Club, will be used to build an outdoor patio on the hospital's third floor.

"Not many existing hospitals have this kind of space," said Young, who joined his wife, Barb, and representatives from Sam's Club and Primary Children's at a check presentation Wednesday at Salt Lake's newest Sam's Club, 1905 S. 300 West.

"It's essentially creating a park-like atmosphere, so the kids and the parents both have a refuge, a place to go," Young said.

The patio will extend the existing Forever Young Zone at the hospital, which opened in 2000. It will have playground equipment, seating and shaded areas, and will overlook downtown Salt Lake City.

The west-facing area will provide a "great sunset view," said Doug Nielsen, an assistant administrator at Primary Children's.

"We have very little open space at the hospital," Nielsen said. "This takes things outdoors ... to be able to get out of the building, away from the technology."

The donation should be enough to build the entire patio, which is planned to be completed by next fall, said Michelle Knox with the Forever Young Foundation.

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E-mail: awelling@desnews.com