 What
is the Playground-Raising Project all about?
This
playground initiative is an exciting, tangible project for community
residents and institutions in Mount Airy, and represents the
activist, can-do spirit of our community. It will fill a specific
need of the 800+ children from the Houston Elementary School
for an attractive, well-kept play area and will provide a new
play area for preschool and school-aged children from the surrounding
community. The playground project represents an ongoing commitment
to the children of Mt. Airy.
Who are the people behind
this initiative?
We
are a group of Mt. Airy residents who have recognized the
need for a safe, clean, stimulating playground for the students
of Houston Elementary School and pre-school and school-aged
children from the surrounding community.
Where will the playground
be built?
Behind
the Henry H. Houston Elementary School, which is on West Allens
Lane at Rural Lane, in Mount Airy.
How will the children be
involved in the playground project?
The
children of Houston Elementary and the broader Mt. Airy community
have an integral role in the project to ensure that the playground
that is built is the one the children want. Their involvement
will be managed through a Children’s Committee that will
organize the children in lots of project-related activities.
Children’s involvement will range from meeting with the
playground designers on Design Day and giving their ideas
and drawings of what they want in a playground, to writing
thank-you notes to contributors, to suggesting the playground’s
name.
Who will design the Playground?
We
have retained Leathers
& Associates Inc., of Ithaca, N.Y., to design our
new playground and to help us with the community-built methodology.
Leathers & Associates have worked on over 1,800 community-built
playgrounds over a 25-year period and offer a wealth of information
and resources for communities like ours. They were involved
in building the Children’s Park in Chestnut Hill at the
Jenks Elementary School.
How is the Playground being
designed?
On
November 29, 2001, we held a Design Day at Houston School
during which the designers and the PRP met with Mt. Airy schoolchildren
to get their ideas and drawings of their dream playground.
Then, the designer incorporated as many of the children’s
ideas as possible into a preliminary design that same day.
At the end of the day, we held a public celebration for all
members of the Mt. Airy community. We unveiled the preliminary
design and kicked off the campaign to build the playground.
Leathers & Associates are finishing the Playground plans,
incorporating suggestions from the school, the city and the
playground’s neighbors.
Where are the resources
for the Playground coming from?
We are embarking upon a vigorous fundraising
campaign that will focus on the community members, Mt.
Airy businesses, and grants. We also are seeking to obtain
donations of time, materials, tools
and labor. Finally, we will have a series of Build Days,
October 9 through October 13, 2002 when we will ask
large numbers of friends and supporters to turn out for the
actual playground-raising. and build the playground under
professional supervision. After five days of building, we
will celebrate the new playground.
How
can children help during Build Days?
We will have child care for children under age 10.
Depending on the child care schedule, they may be brought
to a safe area set aside for them near the build site to help
with sanding, soaping screws or other build tasks. Older children
may work next to their parents on the site. Anyone 18 and
above will be considered an adult volunteer.
How will
we keep the Playground clean, safe and fun?
It would be irresponsible to build the ultimate playground
knowing that there are no resources to maintain it. We plan
to create a community-based maintenance committee that lives
on after the playground has been built. Properly cared for,
the playground is expected to stand the test of time.
Our vision
is to make sure that the playground we build is maintained
so that it will be clean, safe and filled with children for
many years.
Is my contribution tax deductible?
Yes, donations are tax-deductible under federal 501
(c)3 guidelines, under the auspices of West
Mt. Airy Neighbors (WMAN).
Checks
should be made payable to:
WMAN/Playground-Raising
Project
and sent to:
Playground-Raising
Project
c/o
WMAN
6819
Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia,
PA 19119
How can I get involved?
We
need help with fundraising, publicity, soliciting donated
materials and volunteers, as
well as many other tasks leading up to the Build Days. During
the Build itself, we will need hundreds of volunteers
for help with child care, preparing meals and to participate
in the actual construction (both skilled and unskilled labor).
Contact
the Playground-Raising Project through either of our general
coordinators,
Debby Seitz or Debbie Woodward at Coordinators@HoustonPRP.org
They will
ask about your specific interests, answer your questions,
and direct you to other people on the Playground Project working
in specific areas. You can also contact our volunteer coordinator,
Wendy Schwartz-Barnett at Volunteers@HoustonPRP.org
How can I get more information
about the Playground-Raising Project?
Visit
our Contact Us section of this web site by clicking
here.
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