A year ago when we started fundraising for a playground at Nelson Place, our $60,000 goal seemed a LONG way away. We are now past our halfway point and have just over $20,000 left to raise. With an anticipated increase in equipment cost this summer, we moved forward with the purchasing 85% of our equipment which arrived just days ago. Working together, we can raise the remaining funds so our Nelson Place students can be enjoying it by spring!
Mark your calendars with all the information here so we can save some trees and lesson the load in backpacks. And, as always, you can find the latest greatest information on the right here on our web page or contact playground chair Beth Proko at 508-856-9598.
Tax deductible donations can be made to:
Nelson Place PTO ‘Playground Fund’.
Hit the slopes for Nelson Place!
We are working with the Crowley Family at Wachusett Mountain to offer special discounted lift tickets with proceeds benefiting the playground. Watch for details coming soon!!
Adult 'anytime' lift tix ONLY $39 (reg $49)
Junior/Senior 'anytime' lift tix ONLY $25 (reg $35)
Weekday lift tix ONLY $32 (reg $44)
Night Lift Ticket ONLY $29 (reg $39)
Beginner Ski or Snowboard Package ONLY $60 (reg $74) .... WOW! This is lift ticket, rental and lesson!
Order forms will be going home in backpacks shortly. There is one for parents and a general public for anyone who wants to forward to friends and family. They can just fill it out and send in the order.
Guilt Free McDonald's Night! - WOW!! October 28th McDonald's Night raised $150!!! Thank you to all who came out!!
McDonald’s on West Boylston Street in Worcester has giving us dates of Tuesday, October 28th and Tuesday December 2nd. Both will be from 5-7pm. The Nelson Place Playground Fund gets 10% of all proceeds from any purchases through drive-thru or inside the restaurant. ! No coupon needed… it applies to everyone that comes there during that time. PLEASE PASS ON TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS!
Let’s Get Cooking!
Sandra Foster and her a number of enthusiastic parents have compiled the cookbook and submitted it to the publisher. The final version is expected mid November. There will be a proof coming back soon and pre-orders will be starting soon. The cookbook will be only $10! A wonderful unique item for yourself or as a gift.... remember almost every recipe was sent in by a busy family so likely have to be quick, easy and good!! Many kudos to Sandra who spent extra time gathering some history and photos for the book! Any questions, please contact Sandra Foster at 508-856-9442.
Unfortunately cookbooks will not be in before the holidays. Stay tuned for January kickoff!!
Comedy Nights at Dick Doherty’s Beantown Escape - ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SHOW!!! November 14th show raised over $1000!!! Yahoo! Thank you to everyone who came out or donated raffle prizes!!
Our November show will be FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14th at 9pm at Dick Doherty's Beantown Comedy Escape at the Crowne Plaza. The feature comedian will be nationally known John David who is fabulous!! He will be joined by Martin Montana and Sarah Blodgett.
Tickets are only $20 each. This is a GREAT night out!! Please get orders in by November 7th so we can have an accurate count.
Many, many thanks to Dick and Kathy Doherty for their endless generousity!
The Fleming family has done a great job collecting and returning cans and bottles from NP families to benefit of the playground the past year. This commitment alone has raised over $500!! Drop your cans and bottles at 62 Darnell Road in the recycle bins OR contact Dawn Fleming at 508-853-9476 to arrange for pickup.
Shaw’s will donate 1% of all receipts we collect to the Nelson Place School playground. Consider enlisting family and friends to participate!! Send your receipts in a marked envelope with your child or drop them in the envelope in the PTO mailbox in the school office.
Questions can be directed to Dawn Fleming at 508-853-9476.
WELCOME ASSUMPTION COLLEGE!! Students and staff at Assumption are beginning a 'Slips and Slides for Kidz' program to collect Shaw's receipts for the NP playground!!
Fist check received for $190 !! Great job everyone ! Many many thanks to Dawn Fleming for collecting and tracking all of these!
Congratulations to the MULHERN FAMILY for winning the October prize of a gift certificate to Roma's Pizzeria with $4598.97 in receipts!! Remember to enlist friends and family in this fun program!
We took several things into consideration when developing the design including feedback from the ballots that went home in the spring, space, number and age of kids that would be using it and of course safety. There are no towering space nets yet there are a number of places to climb. Input on swings was divided but in the end, the amount of space that would be used to allow a good number of children to use the swings at once was just not practical at this time.
The base material will be the wood fiber. We will be responsible for digging out the area in advance of the installation and spreading the wood fiber once the installation is complete. O'Brien and Sons will be doing the installation.
Keep in mind that the two tetherballs will be installed on the lower asphalt area.
We made almost $600 on the recording of our Nelson Place holiday concert! The CD came out super thanks to Down Under Recording Studio, WCRN 830 am and Commerce Bank!
If you did not get your order in on time or need an extra, we still have a few. Email Beth at bproko@charter.net and we can make arrangements to get them to you. The supply is limited but if there is enough interest, we can probably find a way to make up a few more.
Thank you to all who supported this effort and especially to WCRN and Commerce Bank who covered the production costs.
GRANTWRITERS OUT OF THE GATE AND RUNNING
If you have see grant opportunities, please email info@nelsonplacepto.org and they will be distributed to the parents helping in this important process. We are currently putting together a snapshot of what's been applied for and who's working on what so we can keep track and not duplicate any efforts.
LESSONS ARE MUSIC TO OUR EARS!
NP parent Ismenia Gardner, has a generous offer for NP parents. An experienced musician and opera singer, as well as owner of Copacabana Entertainment, Ismenia is offering voice or piano lessons to NP students and their families with the proceeds going directly to the playground! Most private lessons cost $25 per half hour. Ismenia is offering our NP family $25 per half hour and donating that money right to the playground until her goal of $1000 is reached!
Ismenia has a Bachelor of Music Performance with a Major in Voice from West Connecticut State University in Danbury, CT. She also has an Associate of Arts in Music from Ventura College in Ventura, CA.
She has a daughter in first grade at Nelson Place. Please see her website at www.copacabanaent.com or contact Ismenia at 508-853-4257 to book a lesson or get more information.
JEWELRY PARTIES HELP WITH HOLIDAY SHOPPING AND PLAYGROUND
**BOOK A SHOW** and NP parent Gayle Connole will donate 50% of her commission to help raise money for the Playground Projectl! Our average show is currently at $7-$800++ which translatesto approximately $160 donation per show. Consider maybe booking a show with a friend and host a duo party or a mother/daughter party, if multiple hostesses would like to host their party on the same night (say 5 or 6) I would hold it at the Franklin Manor…the pay-off could be HUGE!!!
The grand total from today’s yard sale is $1967.35 !! Great job everyone!!
To all of our hardy volunteers – THANK YOU!! I hope you finally warmed up! Funny when many of the tables were still in the shade this morning, someone asked me why we wouldn’t have set up in the sun to stay warm…. I pointed out that surprisingly the sun is not out at 6:30 am when we began setting up! What a great crew we have!!
A special thanks to…
Eva and Berson for the use of their building for storage and site for the yard sale in addition to the donation of their time and endless supplies, coffee, soda and more….
Roger West for donating SO much time to manning the drop off truck and taking away the trash at no charge tonight…
The many families who donated tables, baked and the incredible selection of goods for our sale…
Ismenia Gardner who visited the yard sale as ‘Elmo’, ‘Care Bear’ and Cinderella as well as donated a costumed character visit for a raffle…
Families who made or hung flyers and posters including the Fleming’s, the Danko’s, Peggi Harris and Lea Carnes…
HURLEY FAMILY MEETS THEIR GOAL!!
The Hurley Family created a cool logo that sports 'East Coast Coppers' which they sold as decals and t-shirts to many of our local police officers. Mike Hurley called recently to announce they have now reached $1000 which will go straight to the Nelson Place Playground Fund. Awesome job guys!!
HAVE YOU SEEN OUR COMMERCIAL?
The commercial promoting the playground which was produced by Joe Goodrow of 'The Electronic Showroom' is running on both 'The Electronic Showroom' and 'TV Open House' on Channel 3. Joe as well as Frank Foley, who did the on-camera. donated their time for our cause.
UPDATE 9/5/07
Several grant applications are in with more in the works. Many businesses have come forward to help get the ball rolling which brings our total to $4500 in just a short time. The Fleming Family is putting together the first deposit from the can drive. Flyers will go home in all back packs next week. We are hoping that this will be a great opportunity for the children to approach friends and neighbors to help out. Have them decorate a nice box which could be left a a neighbor's house to pick up when full? Be creative. It all adds up!
BIG NEWS: Hank Stoltz and radio station WCRN have agreed to help us with fundraising and promoting the project! Also, local producer Joe Goodrow will produce and air a commercial for the cause on his TV show, 'The Electronic Showroom'. Our playground flyer will be going out with the upcoming newsletter for the North Worcester Business Association. This is all BIG news!
Yard sale? Anybody willing to take the ball to get a yard sale together for the end of September? Make up a flyer to go home in backpacks, place an add in the Telegram, find a spot - maybe a corner of the gym - to collect the items. Price the items and get volunteers to man the tables. Shore Park may be an ideal place for this. We can promote it on WCRN!! We need a coordinator. If you are interested, please contact Beth Proko 508-856-9598 or bproko@charter.net . Several people have said they would help but we need someone to be the contact to make it happen.
WE DID IT!!
In the final days of the 2006-2007 school year, we got the official approval to move forward with the Nelson Place playground!! I want thank each and every person who supported this effort. There was truly strength in numbers.
So what next? The EASY part - HA! Raising a mere $60,000.
Here is a generic fundraising flyer for anyone who wants to solicit donations. It gives the latest information about the project:
Several businesses have started the fundraising ball rolling by making pledges. As of 7/18/07, we have the following pledges:
G.M. Bergeron $1000
Tony Economou Re/max Advantage 1 $1000
Mill Street Motors $1000
Hoey Tire $1000
Forte Enterprises LLC. $500
TOTAL: $4500
CAN AND BOTTLE DRIVE UNDER WAY!!
The Fleming Family has initiated a bottle and can drive to raise funds for the playground. A number of NP families have already started saving bottles and cans as well as approaching friends and neighbors to do the same. This is a wonderful way to get the children involved and amazingly there are probably more people tossing their cans in the recycling these days than turning them in. It adds up so please consider helping out in this way!! Here is the flyer:
Gayle Connole is a representative for Lia Sophia which features an exquisite line of affordable jewelry. She has graciously offered to donate a portion of the proceeds from any NP parent who books a show to the playground!! Shopping at home with your friends, beautiful jewelry and helping the playground ... what could be better?! To get more information, contact Gayle at 508-853-3163 or via email at gaylecon_liasophia@verizon.net or visit her website at www.liasophia.com/gaylecon .
COMPANIES WITH MATCHING DONATIONS
Follow this link to a list of companies that offer matching donations to employee supported organizations:
The above is a national list. We have looked for one that shows more local companies. The best we could find is a list on WICN radio's website. Hopefully they don't mind if we peek at it (may be an opportunity to support them too!). There is no guarantee that these companies all provide matching gifts on a regular basis but it is likely if they matched employee gifts to another local non-profit.
We are anticipating the largest donations will come through grants. Here are the ones we have collected information on so far:
Intel - Submitted 8/2007
St. Gobain Foundation - Submitted 8/31/07
Sam's Club/Walmart - Submitted 8/31/07
Lowe's Toolbox for Education
Shaw's Supermarket
National Grid - currently energy and environmental focus.
NSTAR
Verizon
Dick's Sporting Goods
Home Depot
Bob's Furniture
Target
Almost every corporation these days has a website and it usually lists what their guidelines are for giving. Look for something like "community involvement" ... sometimes it may be under "about us". Most large companies actually have a department that works on this. You can determine if it's likely to be a fit by looking for their giving guidelines. For example, you may find Best Buy only gives grants for technology or for that matter gives donations in the form of equipment. This would obviously not be a fit in this case.
The Nelson Place PTO is a non-profit organization which will usually be a requirement for a grant. Anything involving children, health, community should be a fit.
Sometimes they will also have a limit on how much they will give. Again, this is good information to have since you don't want to spend time writing a grant for $15,000 to a company who will give a maximum of $5000. You can always call and ask what the average grant request honored is. Or look to see who and how much they have given in the past. Usually it is right on their website.
Deadlines are also good to note. Some companies will give more towards "Toys for Tots", food pantries and Salvation Army as the holidays near so the sooner we get some going the better.
Once we get a couple written, it should be more cut, paste and formatting for the rest in theory. If you find a company that you would like to write a grant to, just send an email to info@nelsonplacepto.org so we don't duplicate any efforts. We also have verification of our non-profit status which will probably be needed.
OTHER IDEAS?
The Proko Family has just instituted a different twist on the 'Penny Drive'. The spare change (and sometimes larger!!) that falls out of clothes in the laundry is often affectionately known as 'mom's pay'. A rather profitable load inspired these monies to be gathered towards the playground. The jar is filling quickly already!
Lots of parents have super ideas and the ability to implement them. The sky's the limit! Send information on what you plan to do to info@nelsonplacepto.org and we can get it up on the website. Silent auction? Yard sale? Papa Ginos night? Chuck E Cheese also will donate a portion of events to a non-profit. Any questions or ideas you want to discuss, you can email the address above or contact Beth Proko at 508-856-9598.
It will be easier to get info out to the whole school once the school year begins but it will no doubt build momentum to have some things underway in advance.
PLAYGROUND VENDOR CHOSEN
Playground vendor O’Brien & Sons of Medfield has been chosen
for the equipment and installation of the proposed Nelson
Place Playground. A few last changes are being made to the
plan before it moves to the School Plant Department for final
review. A copy of the plan will be available on the playground webpage at nelsonplacepto.org. For more information, contact Beth Proko at 508-856-9598.
VENDOR CHOICE TO BE MADE
At the PTO meeting on Wednesday, April 25th, parents had the opportunity to view the plans from the two vendors we have been working with to design the proposed playground. We discussed the cost and voted that funds will be raised under the PTO umbrella. This vote is very important to the project due to the likelihood of getting grants using the PTO's non-profit status. Once again, these funds would be tracked separately and would not take away from any of the activities currently provided by the Nelson Place PTO.
On Monday, May 14th at 7pm, the Playground Committee, Mr. Kelley and all interested parents and staff will be meeting at the Nelson Place library to choose a vendor and make adjustments to the final plans. Our last stop will be the school department's physical plant office.
PLAYGROUND TAKES SHAPE...
The Playground Committee received a majority vote from the Nelson Place Site Council on February 28th enabling us to move onto the next step in playground planning. On March 20th, several committee members met with Andy Berger of O'Brien and Sons. We discussed the feedback received from the playground ballots as well as handicapped accessibility and the base material. We chose several items from each category such as slides, climbing equipment, etc. Andy will work up a design using the best complement of items based on the space available. At this time, we are looking to remove the existing asphalt ourselves which could save significant money. Anyone who has equipment that would useful in this project is asked to contact the playground committee as soon as possible. Based on recommendations at the site council meeting, we are looking at having the tetherballs installed in the lower asphalt area. They do not require the protective base material as the rest of the items and this will allow more room for play equipment on the upper area while adding some alternatives to the lower area. A second vendor meeting will be held on Thursday, March 29th at 7pm with Mark Gallagher from New England Recreation.
VENDOR MEETING MARCH 20TH
Several committee members met with Andy Berger of O'Brien and Sons on March 20th. We discussed the feedback received from the playground ballots as well as handicapped accessibility and the base material. We chose several items from each category such as slides, climbing equipment, etc. Andy will work up a new design using the best complement of items based on the space available.
At this time, we are looking to remove the existing asphalt ourselves which could save significant money. Anyone who has equipment that would useful in this project is asked to contact the playground committee as soon as possible.
Based on recommendations at the site council meeting, we are looking at having the tetherballs installed in the lower asphalt area. They do not require the protective base material as the rest of the items and this will allow more room for play equipment on the upper area while adding some alternatives down below.
A second vendor meeting will be held on Thursday, March 29th at 7pm with Mark Gallagher from New England Recreation.
VENDOR MEETINGS UPCOMING
Andy Berger of O’Brien and Sons will be coming out this Tuesday, March 20th at 7pm to meet with the playground committee. Please call for directions 508-856-9598.
The purpose of this meeting is to pass on the information we collected through the ballot process and end up with a more definitive plan and pricing. I am sure Andy can also offer some feedback based on the applications he has installed. I would also like to take a closer look at the handicapped accessible options and the base material (i.e. cost of the interlocking systems). Andy will then take this information and come up with a new plan and pricing with installation.
As requested, I have contacted a second vendor, Mark Gallagher of New England Recreation Group (also a city approved vendor). Mark will be coming to meet with us on Thursday, March 29th at 7pm. I have brought him up to date on where we are so far. He will be visiting the site this week so he should be able to come up with a design and quote as well after this meeting.
PLAYGROUND RECEIVES MAJORITY VOTE AT SITE COUNCIL
The presentation to the Nelson Place Site Council on February 28th brought some good feedback on the project and a majority vote.
The information gathered from parents and staff will be passed on to two vendors to come up with a more definitive design and pricing. A meeting has been set up with Andy Berger of O'Brien and Sons on Tuesday, March 20th at 7pm to pass on the information. All are welcome. Please contact Beth Proko at 508-856-9598 for location. We will be contacting another vendor this week. Time and date of this meeting will follow.
Next steps: Revise plan to best accommodate the pricing and equipment we desire, vote on moving forward with fundraising under PTO umbrella and on to review with school plant.
PLAYGROUND COMMITTEE MOVING FORWARD
We have successfully overcome the liability issues from both the teacher's and the pto's standpoint. For our next step, we need to find out how many of our Nelson Place families and staff are interested in seeing this project move forward. We are drafting a ballot to be sent home next week with all students. Parents must return it in the timeframe stated to be counted as for or against the project.
Should the majority not be in favor of the project, we will not move forward at this time. If the majority do want to see the children have other options at recess, we will move on to getting the blessing of the site council (I believe they will meet before the PTO meeting on February 28th) and then move on to putting together a design that will be most beneficial to everyone involved.
I am happy to inform you that the ballots are in and the overwhelming response was in favor of the playground. We had 146 responsesin favor which appeared to encompass approximately 178 students.
We had 17 responses that were either ‘no’ or ‘unsure’. I have determined of the families who voted against, they represented about eleven students.
We did ask the teachers to vote too. As an anonymous process, I see now the give away on the teachers responses could have been that they didn't circle which grades their kids were in (although I would have understood if they made one up). There were clearly some both for and against.
I am waiting for clarification on the next step from Mr. Kelley. My thought is that we bring it to site council to try and get their blessing. Then, meet with the vendor to review the equipment preferences we obtained on the ballots. Once we have a solid plan, bring it to the school department’s physical plant office for review.
While it still isn’t a definite, we have made a big step in the right direction. While I knew a lot of people were in support, I really didn’t have any idea how the entire school would vote.
A couple of the most interesting write-ins under ‘other’: GRASS, skateboard park, miniature golf, roller coaster and auditorium!!! We did get lots of great feedback and I am just amazed on how many people took the time on something that only had a 3 day turn around.
Next up: site council 2/28
MAY STREET SCHOOL PROJECT A SUCCESS!
Please see the article below which was published on November 17th, 2006 in the Worcester Telegram:
November 17. 2006 12:00AM
Open-air play station
May Street School gets first playground
By Lisa D. Welsh TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
Students at the May Street School playfully celebrate the opening of a new playground. (T&G Staff/JIM COLLINS)
WORCESTER— A cracked and gnarled concrete lot behind May Street School belied the school’s neighborhood setting.
“There was nothing here. The kids used to just run around chasing each other,” said Shenneka Nevins, a parent of two students at the school. “They would kind of cluster before, but now all the classes are intermingling and playing together.”
Yesterday, a group of 60 parents and children joined officials in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for May Street School’s first playground. The youngsters waited patiently through several speeches, but as soon as the grown-ups gave permission, they ran to the swings, jungle gym and slides and scaled the newest in playground apparatus: a climbing wall, Lilly Pads and Bounce Buttons.
But getting to this point wasn’t child’s play.
“I’m the dummy who opened his mouth two years ago at the PTO meeting,” said Luke Robert, chairman of the Playground Committee. “There was a $10,000 surplus in the PTO account, and I said, ‘Let’s give it to the kids.’ Everyone said, ‘Good idea. Go right along and do it.’ ”
Some $30,000 later, with the combined efforts of students, parents, school staff, a carpenters union, several contractors, and private, public and nonprofit organizations, the new Community Play Area was dedicated.
“This project has restored my civic faith,” Mr. Robert said. “Everyone came together to make it happen.”
Despite the donations from 80 families, schoolwide coin drives, bake sales and benefit basketball games, the playground committee needed assistance from other sources.
“It reached a point where the project kind of stalled and needed help,” Mr. Robert said.
May Street School received $3,000 from Fallon Clinic Foundation. The city Department of Public Works removed excavated dirt. And volunteers did other work that organizers say would have cost $10,000 to $12,000.
City Manager Michael V. O’Brien and City Councilors-at-Large Michael C. Perotto and Joseph M. Petty spent Saturdays and evenings helping coordinate the project.
“We tell the kids to work together, play nicely together and express teamwork,” said Quadrant Manager Donald W. Kelley. “It’s good for students to see this example of adults working together in this group effort.”
When the program concluded and the officials left the new playground, Principal Karrie Allen watched as students played in the space that had been an empty, uneven lot for the first five years that she worked at the school.
“I’ve never been a part of anything like this that takes so much perseverance,” Ms. Allen said as she watched Tyrel and Janell Nivens, Sadie and Jacob Robert and all the other students having fun on their new playground. “The best part was everybody coming together, fundraising or meeting. It was a constant effort, but one of my most rewarding experiences.”
At the November PTO meeting, Beth Proko presented a plan for play amenities at Nelson Place to get feedback and hopefully support to move forward. A large group fostered a great discussion on the benefits and drawbacks of moving ahead. The biggest hurtle appears to be Principal Kelley's communication that the teachers are concerned about liability and the lack of a full time nurse.
A vote was made to move forward with a committee specifically to address concerns and options.
Since a number of schools in the city have play equipment or are in the process of fundraising for it, we will be researching how the issues and concerns were dealt with at their locations. Once we work through this, it will be brought to a upcoming PTO meeting for further discussion.
If you would like to be a part of this committee or have further questions, please contact Beth Proko at 508-856-9598 or bproko@charter.net.
VENDOR MEETING INFORMATIONAL
We had a very informative meeting with Andy Berger of O'Brien & Sons on November 8th. Many questions were answered in regards to safety and equipment.
The plan has been further scaled back, removing the swings and wall balls and tucking the remaining items into the right side of the upper asphalt area so as to continue to foster other activities in this area of the school yard.
The proposal will be voted on by all parents attending the PTO meeting on Wednesday, November 15th. If it is approved, it will then be reviewed and voted on by the Nelson Place site council.
If it is not supported by the PTO at this meeting, the proposal will stop at this point for the time being.
PLAYGROUND IDEA TAKES FLIGHT SEPTEMBER 20TH 2006
At the September 20th PTO meeting, a project was presented to the PTO by PTO vice president Beth Proko involving the addition of play amenities to the area behind Nelson Place School for use by the students before school, at recess and at gym time as appropriate. The preliminary plan involves the addition of swings, wall balls, tetherballs, see saws and a fitness cluster to the upper play area as well as a various balls to be used in the entire yard and a 10 year maintenance plan. The projected cost is approximately $25,000 if we can find someone to remove the existing asphalt and install the items with a community build.
Every piece of this proposal will be up for discussion and comment including what amenities are added, where they are situated, how fundraising will be accomplished and of course whether the project should move forward. Any and all feedback is welcome and encouraged.
The next meeting will involve a question/answer session with a representative from O'Brien's & Sons of Medfield, Massachusetts which has installed many playgrounds in and around the city. Currently, we are looking at dates towards the end of October or early November to do this. Information will be sent home and published on this website as soon as a date is set.
Feel free to view the O'Brien and Sons website which has information on play amenities, current code guidelines and other considerations. They have installed play amenities and structures at elementary schools and parks all over Massachusetts and are also very experienced working with community groups and parent teacher organizations.
