MAY GREENE PLAYGROUND GETS NEW LOOK

The playground at May Greene Elementary School is being transformed to a colorful, new facility thanks to the school's students, teachers and a group of volunteers.

New playground equipment is being constructed and the existing equipment painted, said Becky Wachter, student council sponsor and kindergarten teacher at May Greene.

"The idea came from the kids," she said. "The playground equipment we've had is fairly old and no new equipment has been added for quite a while. The student council decided it would like to get some playground equipment."

Money for the project was raised by the student council and the honor society last spring during an annual carnival. Students raised $300.

With the money, volunteer labor and donations, three new additions are being built at the playground.

"For the lower grades, we are building a wooden jungle gym with ramps and hand rails and a tire swing," Wachter said.

"For the upper grades we're putting in a volleyball pit. We are also putting in some big tire tunnels and we're putting out a couple park benches so the kids can sit down and rest."

Wachter admitted that the plans exceed their $300 budget by about $200. "We're hoping the PTA might chip in a little, but we haven't asked yet," she said.

"The playground is going to look totally different when we're finished," she said. "It will be a lot brighter and a little more attractive.

"The kids are really looking forward to it," Wachter said. "When I explained it to them at the end of the year, their eyes got real big. I think they'll be playing on it before school starts."

Because of the limited budget, the project requires a lot of volunteer hours, Wachter said.

"The people who are building this are volunteers," she said, "mostly teachers, teachers' husbands and area neighbors.

"People have been real eager to help. They will do almost anything to help the kids."

In an effort to brighten up the old playground equipment, teachers and students will paint it bright red, blue and yellow.

"Teachers are starting Friday morning with the first coat of paint," Wachter said. "Students will come later to help us paint the second coat."

Wachter said she called May Greene teachers and asked for volunteers.

"Almost all of them said they would help," she said. "That's one of the really great things down here. The teachers really do over and above the call of duty.

"When I asked, they said they'd help and some said that their husbands would help."

Helping Wachter organize the project are Becky Coleman, co-sponsor of the student council, and Mary Ann Lewis, sponsor of the honor society.

Wachter said she has recruited everyone she could to help with the project. Her brother-in-law, James Goodpasture of Jackson, designed the jungle gym, and her husband, Steve Wachter, is helping to construct it.

Others instrumental in getting the project under way are David Gross, the husband of a May Greene teacher, and John Harris, a May Greene neighbor.