Volunteers help Carson City school construct new playground equipment
Rakes, shovels, wheel barrels, wood chips and wrenches were united with nearly 170 volunteers Saturday in Carson City, pitching in their time to put up new playground equipment at Bordewich Bray Elementary School.
Through the support of the Let Them be Kids organization that awarded the school equipment, along with faculty, staff, students and parents, the playground equipment is designed with all students, especially those with autism.
Bordewich Bray Elementary School serves the district’s autistic students but was lacking an appropriate play area for their kindergarten classes, so when two young ladies, Nia and Nadia Hill, ages 10 and 8 respectively, saw their little brother Kian, who is on the autism spectrum, did not have proper play equipment, they contacted Let Them Be Kids and soon enough Bordewich Bray was given a National Award that playground equipment beneficial to students with autism and every kindergartener that attends the school.
Ian Hill, the father of Nia and Nadia said he is grateful for the support through the program that has put up equipment at 160 places throughout the country. And, he said, he was especially proud of his daughters for looking out for their brother.
"One day I saw Kian playing with a tree and I told my parents 'we have to do something about this,'" said Nia Hill, adding that she thought it would have taken 8 or 9 months to do. "Never judge a book by its cover. Everyone came together with effort and hope."
Volunteers on site gave the school a “makeover” raking up leaves, cleaning flower beds, field striping, creating of a covered sandbox, painting of a USA map on the playground and sprucing up the parking lot area. Another stipulation of the award is that Bordewich Bray had to raise the money to ship the playground to Carson City. Several local businesses also helped out with not only monetary donations but in-kind support in order to prepare the area for the new playground. Receiving recognition for the person coming away the furthest to work on the project was Sean Koekoek of Paris, Ontario Canada.
On hand were school officials, Carson City School District Superintendent Richard Stokes and Carson City Mayor Bob Crowell. Introductions were made by Valerie Dockery, Susan Squires, and Merissa Freitas. The playground was officially given a heroes dedication to three: Ms. Karen Putt, Lee Radtke and in memoriam Command Sgt. Major Carl. W. Bennett. Read about them below.
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- Bob Crowell
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- Carson City Mayor
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- Superintendent Richard Stokes
- Support
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