More Than 200 Volunteers Help Build Playground

MARSHALL NEWS MESSENGER (11/18/12)- Robert E. Lee Elementary students will soon be able to enjoy their brand new playground all thanks to Kaboom! and the plethora of volunteers that showed up early Saturday morning to help put it together.

Volunteers from all corners of Marshall gathered at the elementary school to work with the non-profit organization to give students a playground and other activities.

Courtney Sawyer, a project manager with Kaboom!, said more than 200 volunteers were recruited with the use of flyers to help build picnic tables, soccer goals, a playground and do landscaping and beautification for the school.

After eight weeks of planning and fundraising, Ms. Sawyer said the project all came together.

"We’re glad to be working with Blue Cross-Blue Shield and Robert E. Lee on this project,” Ms. Sawyer said.

Marshall Junior High School cheerleaders, East Texas Baptist University students, J-ROTC students and more were all at attendance for the day long project on Saturday.

With food and music in the air, volunteers painted, dug holes, drilled, hammered and transferred mulch for an end result of thankful and smiling elementary students with a new playground.

ETBU president Samuel "Dub” Oliver was also present at the build day with more than 30 of his students to help with the project. ETBU also helped with the project financially.

ETBU students had to be out of their dorms on Friday for Thanksgiving break, but those who volunteered were able to stay an extra day.

"This project really shows the character of our students,” Oliver said. "We hope they come away with a sense of giving back to the community and giving to others.”

Principal Kresha Lane was busy watching her students while made thank you cards for Kaboom! and volunteers and checking out the construction site. A Marshall native, Ms. Lane was thankful to the Marshall community for showing their support of the school.

"We’ve received a lot of support from the community and they’ve been very involved with this,” Ms. Lane said. "It’s important for me to give back to the community where I grew up.”

(Used by permission www.marshallnewsmessenger.com)