
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 15, 1994                    TAG: 9406140144 
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON                     PAGE: 07    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY LORRAINE MIZE, CORRESPONDENT 
DATELINE: 940615                                 LENGTH: Medium

NEWTOWN ELEMENTARY VOLUNTEERS BUILD A COMMUNITY PLAYGROUND

{LEAD} On a recent Saturday, while many folks were enjoying a gorgeous day at the beach, a group of parents and volunteers at Newtown Elementary School was hauling and digging the day away.

Their project, a playground similar to Kids Cove at Mount Trashmore, was more than two years in the making. ``Our PTA identified the project 2 1/2 years ago,'' said principal Barbara Tourgee. ``We set our monetary goal and started collecting with our `Nickels for Newtown' project. We put a bucket in the hallway each day during lunch and let the students contribute their nickels. It was one way we knew we could get the students involved.''

{REST} With student and individual contributions, the school, at the beginning of this school year, was about $1,500 shy of the $8,500 needed to build the 17-by-20-foot playground. Headstart, an early childhood education program, which is in a portable unit behind the school and will have access to the playground, contributed $1,300 to the effort.

But with the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the school discovered it would need an additional $900 to build ramps to make the playground accessible to everyone. ``We went to the city school system and they supported our project by funding the money for the ramps. We were on our way,'' Tourgee said.

``While the playground will be used by our students during recess and after lunch, we also want to create a sense of community among our neighbors by making the playground available to everyone. We've included lots of additional space for future additions and plan on landscaping the area,'' Tourgee said.

More than 100 volunteers (men and women alike) helped during the day, hauling concrete, digging holes and setting poles. Newtown's teachers donated food for a cookout for all the volunteers Saturday afternoon.

``Our students really talked this project up with their parents,'' Tourgee said. ``We had a Mother's Day and Father's Day this year, when students bring their parents, and we were able to get the word out to 217 mothers and 181 fathers. The students have been instrumental in making sure their parents were here today.''

Tourgee said having parents and their children help on the project gives them a feeling of ownership and that relates to pride.

``Most businesses are willing to give of their resources when it's for the `children's sake,' and this was a nice joint effort. This community can feel proud of the efforts made by the school and hopefully will make good use of the facility,'' she said.

Donating to the project in addition to the staff and PTA of Newtown was Headstart, the Newtown Elementary Mentors, Builder's Square, parents and the Tidewater Master Builders.

by CNB