Natalie's Everyday Heroes: 'Play with Generations' brings young and old together to play

SHEBOYGAN COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Joa Cain grew up in Plymouth, but when she went away to college she didn't think she'd necessarily end up back home. Not only back home but working on the playground where she went to elementary school. 

She launched a program that brings young and old alike together to play. 

The goal in kickball is to get around the bases. But for Joa Cain, which team scores doesn't really matter. 

"Kids are here just to have fun, and there's no indoor voices out here," Cain says. 

The kids on the playground at Fairview Elementary are happy to oblige. 

Cain's job title is community engagement and program manager for a nonprofit called Generations. 

She gets adults from different generations to come play on the playground every Tuesday. 

"Get kids involved. Pull them off the side of the playground when they're just watching things happen," Cain says. 

"Anytime you can add positive adult role models into children's lives, that's going to be a win."

The Play with Generations program launched at this Sheboygan County school this year. 

Principal Nick O'Malley says it's been a big win with the kids. 

"They crave that positive adult attention and it's pretty obvious." 

Trisha Erpelding is one of the volunteers. 

"Like we get to kind of be like the fun aunt who gets to hang out with the kids for a few hours and get them all riled up and excited and then, 'have a great day!'" she says. 

She says Cain's enthusiasm is clear. 

"One of the kids was like, why is the news here? I'm like, because Joa's a superhero and we're all celebrating her today," Erpelding says. 

"I actually went to school here 25 years ago!" Cain says. 

The program touches generations of her own family. 

"My father is one of the volunteers," she says. "He actually went to elementary school here too and was a teacher here."

Cain, who as a little girl, wanted to be a teacher herself, is now showing you can play at any age. 

"And I'm like, I can do this all the time. I can get paid to lead service, which is something that's really important to me."

The program won't stop when the school year ends. 

Play with Generations is being held for two hours on the third Tuesday of the month over the summer. 

If you'd like to nominate an Everyday Hero, send Natalie a message at [email protected].