The Journey to a New Playground
It all started in June 2008 when the new PTO board members met to decide what the goal of their organization should be.
They knew the main focus was to do something to benefit all of the children, pre-K to 6th grade. One of their biggest concerns was the lack of things for the kids to do at recess. With the problem our nation faces with childhood obesity they knew this was an area they should concentrate on, and that’s when the “Eldon PTO Playground Project” began to form.
Playground equipment was more than the budget allowed so they looked into painting activities on the surfaces. This turned out to be a much better idea since the playgrounds were being redone due to the school putting in the new ground source heating system. The PTO board approached the schools and the Elementary PE department to get their input and to find out what they thought would be useful. Nancy Fisher was very excited and worked hard on a diagram of the things she had always wanted on the playgrounds. This gave the PTO some really great ideas. Board members then met with Superintendant Matt Davis and had their plans approved. Both playground areas at the south school were to be done by July, so they had until then to come up with the funding!
The PTO board members approached many businesses, individuals, and organizations asking for donations to make their idea a reality. They also held fundraisers throughout the year. In the mean time Nancy was making contact with Kent Spangler from KJ Striping in Lake Ozark. They hired him to do all of the white lines and decided to purchase the paint needed through him also. He worked very well with the Eldon PTO and gave them a great price.
By August 2009 only the pre-K/Kindergarten surface was ready to be painted. Eddie Harwood made arrangements with the City of Eldon and the Eldon Fire Department to clean off the bus parking lot before Kent showed up with his striping machine. Kent, Eddie, and Nancy worked approximately six hours getting the measurements just right on the track in the bus parking lot, the walking track, and on the other diagrams he would be painting on the pre-K/K playground. Then on Saturday August 15, 2009 phase one of the PTO Playground Project was completed in seven hours with help from the 36 volunteers that included the Eldon PTO board and members, Wal-Mart employees, and some PAVE-AmeriCorps members.
Due to the late completion of the 1st-3rd grade playground surface, and other activities already scheduled, phase two was set for April 2010.
The PTO Board members continued to raise money and awareness in the community about their project. President Tracy Dunstan and Treasurer Trish Vernon spoke to the Eldon Kiwanis asking them for volunteers to help paint the second phase. They agreed it would be a wonderful way to help the kids be more active and they decided to use it for their Kiwanis One Day Project. This was an excellent idea since the second phase was planned to be twice as big as the first! Tracy also contacted Wal-Mart of Eldon and applied for a $500 community grant that was received the last week of March.
After a few changes made by the new principals of the South school, Nancy again contacted Kent to come and paint the walking track, four square, and racing lanes. With the changes made in the diagrams, it only took him 4 hours this time.
On Saturday April 10, 2010 the second phase of the Eldon PTO Playground Project got underway. Spending four hours, 23 volunteers including the PTO Board and members, some PAVE-AmeriCorps members, and the Eldon Kiwanis including a few high school members of the Kiwanis Key Club, got the USA map and other activities painted on the 1st-3rd grade playground, bus parking lot, and Upper Elementary playground. Two more hours of painting done by PTO members, PAVE-AmeriCorps members and some Upper Elementary students completed the second phase by Tuesday April 13th.
The pre-K/K playground now has 13 brightly colored diagrams. The 1st-3rd playground has nine diagrams, and the Upper playground areas have 12 activities available. Diagrams, just to name a few, include the World map, the USA map, racing lanes, multiple versions of hopscotch, bases for kickball, four square, and walking tracks on all playgrounds just waiting for a walking club to get started!
The Eldon PTO President Tracy Dunstan credits the hard work of its members, the Eldon Kiwanis, Eldon Wal-Mart, PAVE-AmeriCorps members, and the Elementary PE teachers in successfully reaching their goal in completion of the PTO Playground Project. With the use of stencils the PTO already had, the drawing skills of some of our members, and the great deal Kent from KJ Striping gave us, the total cost of the project to date is under $1,500.