Group effort at school Parents pitch in, set up new playground
PROSPECT — It takes a lot of work to build a playground.
A group of parent volunteers found that out Saturday morning as they braved the rain to set up playground equipment at Moraine Elementary School, 350 N. Main St.
The equipment replaces 20-year-old metal domes the students weren't allowed to play on for safety reasons, according to Gina McCloskey of Prospect, a member of the school's Parent Teacher Organization and one of the organizers of the playground upgrade.
The installation was the culmination of a yearlong fundraising effort by the PTO, said McCloskey.
“We tried to raise as much money as we could. We sent letters to local businesses. We had 'Penny Wars' where students brought in all their change,” she said. “I had to sit there and count it. We sold candy.”
Combining their efforts with funds on hand, the PTO purchased the new playground gear from Bear of PA in Valencia, which represents Snider Recreation, the equipment maker.
The two colorful blue stations take up an area of 33 feet by 38 feet, said Bear office assistant Kelly Christie. They come equipped with slides, climbing bars and a bridge that will connect the two.
“It's a composite play structure that is custom-designed to fit the school's playground,” said Steve Baker, president and general manager of Bear of PA, who was on hand with five employees to help the parents set up the equipment.
Pitching in with the volunteers digging postholes and bolting sections together, Baker said, cuts a three-day installation job down to a single day.
“By doing a community build, it saves the customers money,” said Baker. “Working with them saves the customers thousands in installation costs by their work.”
Christie said once the equipment has been set up and leveled, cement will be poured in the postholes and mixed with water to set the equipment.
She had praise for the parents who turned out with their own tools and equipment for the job.
“They are really good. A lot of them are really knowledgeable,” she said.
McCloskey said other work included repainting maps of the United States and the world on the blacktop next to the playground.
Mara Hensel of Prospect, who will have five children attending Moraine Elementary School, said the work won't be done with the installation. The school will put pea gravel down before the start of the school year to finish off this section of the playground.
Hensel said this was her first year of being involved with the PTO.
“Everything we've done has gone into this. My kids are way excited,” she said.
McCloskey said the PTO plans to keep adding updated playground equipment for the school's students.
“Our goal is to get more, depending on what we can make during fundraising,” she said.
Amanda Ziegler of Prospect, who has two daughters attending the school, said the PTO plans to add plaques to the playground recognizing the larger donors.
Baker praised the efforts of the PTO and the volunteer parents for their work.
“They are taking ownership of it,” he said of the new playground.
