FedEx helps TLC tidy up playground
Bob Foell, front, Amanda Jackson and Eric Hirsch shovel out disintegrating stumps from beneath a tree in The Learning Center's playground on Tuesday morning. Not pictured is Steve Nelson. Press photos by Kate Hayden
TLC students watch as Amanda Jackson and her fellow FedEx volunteers clean up the playground. The kids delivered waterbottles to volunteers as they were working in the morning.
By Kate Hayden, khayden@charlescitypress.com
For FedEx volunteers, Tuesday was proof that the sentiment of giving back to the community isn’t limited to one day.
After a few weather delays, the Mason City team of four were finally able to complete a planned service project at The Learning Center, as part of the United Way of North Central Iowa’s 2017 Day of Caring. Seven companies formed volunteer teams, which were scheduled to complete service projects on Aug. 28-29.
“We had some naturalized stumps that had deteriorated badly, so they needed to go,” center coordinator Sue McDonald said. “They’re helping us take out the stumps so the playground is safer for the kids, and they’re going to help us power wash off the playground, fix the shed.”
TLC had previously received a Venture Grant for $10,000, director Pam Ost said. The grant allowed the center to purchase more playground equipment age-specific to children in the center’s before- and after-school program. Most of that equipment was purchased for the center’s kindergarten-plus room, Ost said.
“It allowed us to purchase equipment, educational games and accessories for children five years and older,” Ost said. “That gave us the foundation to really begin building in that particular area within the center, and it’s something that will continue to grow.”
Some of the equipment will also be on the playground, where volunteers Eric Hirsch, Amanda Jackson, Steve Nelson and Bob Foell focused their work on Tuesday.
TLC was matched with Day of Caring volunteers through United Way, Ost said, which keeps the center updated on other grant and service opportunities. TLC submitted a project proposal for the Day of Caring in June; service projects through United Way occurred in counties Worth, Winnebago, Mitchell, Kossuth, Hancock, Franklin, Cerro Gordo and Floyd throughout August.
“That’s always been one of the missions of TLC, to continue meet the needs of the community, and that changes all the time,” Ost said. “We have found with our before- and after-school program, that’s an area that we want to continue to build. That initial $10,000 that they gave us really began that process for us.”
“We’re very, very thankful for it,” McDonald said.
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