Canopies Made in Ironwood Part of White House Play Set

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Thursday, March 5, 2009 - According to an early morning MSNBC report, first daughters Malia and Sasha Obama were surprised with a brand new swing set yesterday after school. President Obama and his wife purchased the set and secretly made the arrangement to have it installed while the girls were at school.

The set was strategically placed on the south lawn where the President can keep an eye on things from the Oval Office. The first family has been working hard to make sure that their new house is a friendly home for the girls.

The play set is made of cedar and North American Redwood. It has a tire swing, a slide, a fort, a climbing wall and climbing ropes. There's also a picnic table with brass plates etched with the names of all 44 presidents.

The President and First Lady purchased the swing set from Rainbow Play Systems of Brookings, South Dakota. The company also installed the system.

On a local note, the canopies and tents that are integrated into the play set were manufactured by Jacquart Fabric Manufacturing here in Ironwood. According to Gina Thorsen, spokesperson and for Jacquart's, "We were already very proud of the work that we do for Rainbow Play Systems, but now that it's on the lawn of the White House we're even more proud of the high quality work that we're doing. And the fact that the Obama's chose it, we couldn't be happier!"

"Lots of other things the Obama's have done have caused an increase in sales in the things that they are connected to. So it might be interesting, we might see an increase in production here because of that which is always good."

Thorsen, who happens to be company president's daughter told the Chronicle that Jacquarts makes all the canopies for all of Rainbow's Play Systems.

Jacquarts, located in the Ironwood Industrial Park, employs 162 people locally; is locally owned and operated and continues to grow year to year.

"We're very, very proud that something made here in the U.P. in a small town is now in the most prominent house in the county. It's pretty special!" Thorsen said.

To read the MSNBC coverage or to watch the video coverage [CLICK HERE].