Photo: Brittany Taylor Photography
When it comes to making a difference,Andrew Firestone‘s daughterAnja Jasmineproves that age is just a number.
The 8-year-old middle child of the formerBachelorand his wife Ivana co-wrote a song available on iTunes, towards which a portion of the proceeds will go to the construction of an adaptive playground in her Santa Barbara, California, hometown.
“From a very early age, Anja was drawn to music,” Firestone, 43, tells PEOPLE. “She wanted to write her own song and was asking us what she could write about.”
“We asked her what in her life troubled or inspired her,” shares the real-estate developer and former reality star.
The song —“Where We Belong,”which was co-written with music instructor Erland Wanberg — came from Anja’s desire “to tell a story about a magical place where every child belongs, where they can dance and play without fear of any judgment,” says Firestone.
“It seemed to be a natural fit to use her song to bring awareness to theGwendolyn Strong Foundation‘s goal to build an inclusive playground,” he adds.
Inclusive, or adaptive, playgrounds are meticulously designed toaccommodate children of all abilities.
“Music can be a wonderful way for children to express emotions that might feel too uncomfortable to discuss with an adult,” says Ivana. “With Erland, something that was concerning to Anja was turned into something beautiful.”
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And Firestone, who wasThe Bachelorin 2003 and went on to wed Ivana in 2008 (they have two other children: sonsShane, 5, andAdam Brooks, 10), tells PEOPLE they’re “very proud” that their daughter is learning to be civic-minded.
“Our family dedicates a lot of time to supporting the community,” he says. “I hope we are setting a good example of how important it is to be involved and have a voice.”
source: people.com
