Deer Meadow PTA erects triple slide

Monday, April 26, 2010
After two years of fundraising, the Deer Meadow Parent Teacher Organization finally reaped the rewards of their efforts as members watched Deer Meadow students clamor up their new slide and heard shrieks of delight on the ride down. Second grader Cory Taylor, first grader Darian Strong and kindergartner Eddie Thomask got the first slides down the new triple chute slide. Sponsors Neal Cash with Cash Concrete, Therese Cunningham with United Way and John Wachal with Buzzi Unicem were also on hand to see the first sliders.

GREENCASTLE -- It's taken two years to gather all the funds and hours of work by the Deer Meadow Parent Teacher Organization, but it all paid off with the looks of delight by students taking rides down the new three-chute slide on their playground.

Students initiated the slide, along with their principal Gwen Morris, on Tuesday morning at the school while several of the project's sponsors looked on.

The first three students to take a slide were Eddie Thomask, Darian Strong and Cory Taylor. Their names were drawn from the school's Pat on the Back program. The students and their classmates got the first slides.

The project was the result of a survey taken by the PTO over two years ago.

Deer Meadow Primary School Principal Gwen Morris got to take a slide much to the delight of cheering students.

"We asked teachers how we could best help. Surprisingly, they asked for a climbing slide for the playground," PTO President Lynn Ramey.

"Everyone pitched in. The teachers told parents if they were buying Christmas gifts for them to make a donation to the slide campaign instead," said incoming PTO President Angela Harper. "They collected $800."

The students themselves collected over $750 during a summer coin drive called "Change Your Playground."

Students, their families and the entire community took part in fundraisers with Domino's Pizza, Kroger Cares Cards and Monical's Pizza.

Walmart donated $400, Melissa Lientz gave $500 and the United Way donated $1,500.

"It's a community playground really. Families on the north side of town gather here with their families. It gives them someplace safe to play. The south side has things at DePauw and Robe Ann Park. This playground is open and available to anyone who wants to use it," explained Harper.

A big thank you also goes out to Buzzi Unicem, Hanson Aggregates, Cash Concrete and Joe Spiker, who all donated labor and products to the project.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Department brought a team of five inmates from the jail that spent two full days in the heat putting together the slide.

Other individuals also contributed to the project including many PTO families, Paul and Mike Holtkamp, Mike Schmeckebier and Rob Harper, who worked on the project every step of the way.

Total cost for the project was $12,000.

"It's worth every penny. Now the community has a playground on this side of town," added Ramey as the kids behind her cried in delight as they flew down three chutes.

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  • Way to go PTO!!!!! it was all worth it!

    -- Posted by talkymom3 on Mon, Apr 26, 2010, at 9:22 AM
  • Yeah! All of your hard work paid off! Great job!

    -- Posted by savethebabies on Mon, Apr 26, 2010, at 9:43 AM
  • I am glad the students have a better playground, but I hope that the next $12,000 raised will go toward books for the library and the classrooms.

    -- Posted by nordicheart on Wed, Apr 28, 2010, at 11:14 AM
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