Thursday, August 21, 2003
Volunteer work at the playground begins Friday and runs through Sunday.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- When Emerson Elementary children return to classes later this month, they'll be greeted with new playground equipment instead of the 1960s-era equipment they left in June.
Home Depot in Howland is donating materials and equipment for a new playground at the school.
"Each store gets an allotment of money" for community projects, said Mary Kauffman, a store employee who is spearheading the effort.
A co-worker's daughter attends Emerson, and the mother pointed out the old playground as a possible project site.
Kauffman visited the school and thought new playground equipment was a worthy idea.
"There's hardly anything there," she said.
She called the school to suggest the idea.
"I think I kind of shocked the secretary," Kauffman said. "She said, 'Are you sure that you can do this?'"
That was last spring; Kauffman said it took a while to finalize all of the paperwork and get the idea approved.
Timetable for project
Tearing down the old stuff begins Friday, and work is expected to run through Sunday. Classes begin Aug. 25. Work runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
"We only have three pieces of equipment, and it all seems to be from around the 1960s," Principal James Mitolo said.
He said volunteers from the school and store will work on the project, but the school is asking for community volunteers to help, too. No special skills are required.
"We just want people who want to help and are willing to work," Kauffman said.
Kauffman said the Home Depot Distribution Center in Solon has shared its community project allotment, and volunteers from the center are pitching in with those of the Howland store. She estimates the project cost at $9,000.
Accessible equipment
All of the pieces, which include a jungle gym and four double sets of swings, are handicapped-accessible so the school's disabled children can enjoy them, too.
"I would feel bad if anyone was left out," Kauffman said.
Previous projects initiated by the Howland store include planting tulips on some Warren street corners and helping with construction of Tiger Town park in Howland.
Mitolo said children have been excited about the new playground since word started circulating last year. "I've seen a couple of them, and they're asking, 'Is it here yet?'"
denise.dick@vindy.com