Playground grant only half the battle; now city seeks volunteers for project
Coleman Elementary School earns Dr. Pepper grant; work to take place Aug. 11
WOONSOCKET — After winning a grant from the makers of Dr. Pepper for a new playground at Coleman Elementary School, the Woonsocket Education Department is looking for a few volunteers willing to donate a little elbow grease to get the project built.
“A community’s well-being starts with a child’s well-being,” said Asst. Schools Supt. Jenny Chan-Remka. “Having a safe place to play and socialize is extremely important for the many children and their families who will be using this playground.”
Announced by Schools Supt. Patrick McGee, the “Let’s Play” grant comes via the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group and KaBoom!, a national nonprofit dedicated to the proposition that all kids, “especially those living in poverty, deserve great, safe places to play.”
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has promoted this wonderful opportunity for our students and families,” he said. “A child’s education is not limited to academics but also includes health and wellness.”
Coleman Elementary School is one of the district’s “high needs schools,” McGee said, adding that the existing playground is little more than an “empty space with nothing in it is where the children play every day during recess.”
McGee said parents, educators and families in the Coleman family want a safe and more inviting spot for children to play during and after school hours.
The superintendent says that hav- ing a safe place to play and socialize is extremely important for children and parents because a top notch playground “mobilizes the community to built a safe and active future for the next generation.”
The WED is seeking volunteers to help build the playground on Saturday, Aug. 11, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. If it rains, the volunteers will gather the following Saturday, same time, for the project.
A ribbon-cutting will take place immediately after the playground construction chores.
Anyone who can lend a hand for any portion of the workday is urged to contact the superintendent’s secretary, Kimberly Blais, by emailing her at kblais@ woonsocketschools.com.