Long Branch Elementary will soon have a new playground, and it’s going to be a true community effort.
Volunteers will build the new playground structure Friday, Aug. 28, and Saturday, Aug. 29. The school’s PTCO is looking for community members to help with the effort.
“It’ll be fun. A lot of our staff will be here,” said LBE Principal Bob McCrone. “I’ve never been through this before, so I’m looking forward to seeing how it all goes.”
McCrone said the school is looking for about 80 volunteers, but they’re “not quite there yet.”
Volunteers are needed to work in shifts from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Free food and drinks, donated by Dunkin Donuts on Farrell Road, owned by the Wolak Group, Bruegger’s Bagels, Santangelo’s Restaurant in Liverpool, Canale’s Restaurant in Liverpool and Coca-Cola, will be provided for all volunteers. The John Glenn Wegmans has also donated a gift card to purchase additional food and beverages, and Applebee’s has donated some gift cards to give out to volunteers during the build.
Professionals will be onsite to help guide the work. No construction experience is necessary. If you are comfortable using power tools, please let organizers know so that they can better organize volunteer groups. For safety reasons, children are not allowed near the construction site.
Volunteers are also needed this weekend, Friday, Aug. 21, to help unload the playground equipment when it arrives at the school.
The playground project has been a community effort since it began two years ago, when it became clear that the aging structure, which wasn’t accessible for the school’s special needs students, needed to be replaced.
“The entire community came together to make this possible,” said Carolyn Williamson, PTCO treasurer. “It is not common for a playground project of this size to be completed so quickly, as it is difficult to raise the necessary funds. We had support from the teachers and staff at LBE, parents, children and local businesses.”
The school held a number of fundraisers, including monthly movie nights, silent auctions held in conjunction with Cub Scout Pack 209, restaurant fundraisers, a carnival and two highly successful walk-a-thons.
The efforts raised the money to fund the first two phases of the playground project. The school already installed a new primary playground for its younger students last fall at a cost of $6,300. As part of the $77,000 Phase II of the playground construction, Miracle Recreation, which also installed the Wegmans Playground at Onondaga Lake Park, has created an accessible structure in the school’s orange and blue color scheme. They’re also providing new swings, free-standing play structures, picnic tables, trash receptacles and benches. Those pieces will be installed by volunteers on the 28th and 29th. Without the aid of volunteers, the project would cost the PTCO an additional $30,000, which the organization can’t afford.
“There will be six basketball hoops with separate courts to allow for multiple games and ages to play at the same time,” Williamson said. “The main structure, basketball hoops and the swings will all be inclusive. The playground structure will be easier to maintain and is made from durable materials. The design incorporated experience of experts, teachers, staff and parents with every effort to give the kids an elevated play experience.”
After the construction is complete, the LBE PTCO will continue to raise money to add new basketball hoops and repave the court, hopefully next year. They’re hoping to work with a paving company that’s willing to donate its services. Phase III will also include a nature education segment, which will likely be funded by a grant.
The fact that this project did have so much community involvement makes it that much more meaningful to the students of LBE.
“The playground will allow the kids to enjoy playing at recess in these areas that were designed specifically for their interests, but most importantly, it will bring to the children a sense of pride that they were part of making this happen,” Williamson said. “That pride will stay with them their entire lifetime. This project is an example of how a community can come together and make a change that will last for generations. I am proud to be part of this and for my children to have experienced this. When they are parents, they can share how they were part of bringing this beautiful playground to LBE and the Liverpool community.”
To register to volunteer, email [email protected] or visit tinyurl.com/nh6v6qh.
