Volunteers put together play area
CRANBERRY TWP — Cloudy skies and at times heavy rain couldn't stop hundreds of volunteers from making their mark Thursday on a new playground in North Boundary Park.
Volunteers from local civic organizations and businesses, as well as public officials from throughout the state came together to construct the playground adjacent to the Community Waterpark. The effort was a part of the Pennsylvania Municipal League's annual conference, which is being held in Cranberry Township this weekend.
The organization partners with nonprofit entity KABOOM! to coordinate construction of similar playgrounds at the site of their conference each year, according to Rick Schuettler, executive director of the Municipal League. The Cranberry project is the eighth one completed.
“It's a great opportunity for our folks to come and be part of something in one of their colleagues' community,” he said.
Preparation began Tuesday, with volunteers sorting and arranging materials and assembling the playground's features.
On Thursday, bus loads of volunteers from corporations such as Columbia Gas, Highmark and Penn Power joined township employees, members of the Cranberry Rotary Club and dozens of Seneca Valley school students to plant shrubbery, assemble the structure and get the playground into working order. Schuettler estimated nearly 300 volunteers would be on-hand throughout the day.
“It's just awesome to see all these people come together,” said Dick Hadley, Cranberry Township supervisor chairman. “For people to come out and volunteer their time and be part of this and be able to look at this as theirs and something they contributed to makes it that much more special for the community and all the kids that are going to enjoy this facility for years to come.”
Jerry Andree, township manager, agreed, adding projects such as Thursday's are what makes Cranberry special.
“That's what makes Cranberry great: The community cares, they're engaged, they're involved, and I'm very, very proud to be a part of that environment,” he said.
In that spirit, teams of volunteers worked diligently throughout the morning, with many not pausing when the skies opened and heavy rain showers ensued. Hadley called the scene “organized chaos.”
“But it's very organized,” he said.
Imani Jackson, a KABOOM! project manager, said the Cranberry project is unique in that it allows for community members to come together for a great cause.
“It's super special because we not only have people to complete the finishing touches to this awesome playground ... but with the conferencegoers, they're really leaving their mark on Cranberry Township in a very meaningful way,” she said.
The playground was designed in conjunction with ideas presented by children from the Cranberry area who attended an event in August and drew their dream playground. Features of the final design were taken from those drawings.
According to Mike Manipole, township supervisor vice chairman and teacher at Ryan Gloyer Middle School, the opportunity for children to be a part of the process from start to finish will have a lasting impact.
“It takes a little ownership,” he said. “That's going to be the spark that keeps this going, and our whole future relies on those guys.”
Manipole said students from first through eighth grades were participating in the project, using shovels and spades to dig holes and plant greenery. The older students worked with younger ones in cooperative groups, which teaches other valuable, real-world lessons. The project also has become a point of pride for those participating, Manipole said.
“We want kids to be able to come back and show their parents, 'Hey, I did this,'” he said.
