Come Oct. 15, Silver Creek kids will have more than dirt on the school playground.
Thanks to a gracious Sorrento Elementary Parent Advisory Council, a group called Let Them Be Kids and anticipated community support, a new playground will be installed in the fall.
Silver Creek principal Joel Menzies told a gym full of students and parents last Thursday that he had overheard students referring to Silver Creek as a “welfare school.”
“I didn’t like that and I want to eliminate that perception,” the popular teacher-principal said, noting that despite the fact the student population dropped from 84 to 67 over spring break, Silver Creek remains a community with heart. “When I had the chance to come back, I jumped at it.”
With the help of a committed playground committee, Menzies also jumped at the chance to provide all kids in the community with a modern and safe playground.
A call to Let Them Be Kids, a national organization that matches donations dollar for dollar over a three-year period, revealed that because Sorrento Elementary had been a recent beneficiary, another School District #83 school could not be considered at this time.
But a member of the organization phoned the Sorrento PAC and asked if they had plans to buy anything more and if they didn’t, would they be willing to assign the remaining 18 months on their fundraising contract to Silver Creek School.
Not only did they agree to that, but two Sorrento PAC members, Darla Pauls and Annette Rivers, attended last week’s potluck dinner at Silver Creek School with a $500 donation to get the project underway.
Pauls told parents and students that their initial goal had been $50,000, but they raised $8,000 more and are thrilled with their playground that came in just shy of $100,000.
If funding allows, Silver Creek Playground Committee members would like to build two $60,000 playgrounds, one for little children and one for older kids.
Committee member Cindy Oosterhuis says the school board removed half the current playground equipment because it was not safe and has taped of the rest, leaving students to play in the dirt.
Several parents volunteered their time and talents last Thursday evening on computers set to the appropriate website – www.scr.sd83.bc.ca.
Everyone is welcome to visit the site and make a donation or volunteer to help on Oct. 15 when a team of 200 volunteers will be needed for the one-day playground build.
Volunteers may also call the school at 250-832-8282.