Non-profit builds playground for kindergartners

Local non-profit, Fort Yuma Rotary, donated and built a playground for kindergarten students at H.L. Suverkrup Elementary and Gowen Science Academy over a two-day period in December.

Each year, the non-profit organization selects a school that has the needs for a playground.

Both schools share the same lot which includes a playground with a large jungle gym. Principal Trish Valentin, of H L Suverkrup, said the original playground was too large of a structure for kindergartners and that some of the younger kids were getting injured on the jungle gym.

“It has been a real gift for us to have a smaller playground that is behind our kindergarten classrooms for our kinder kids to use that is safer and away from the bigger kids,” said Valentin.

H.L. Suverkrup Elementary has around 490 students enrolled with 68 of those being kindergarten students. Gowan Science Academy has 60 kindergarteners in its school, according to Principal Valentin.

Fort Yuma Rotary is part of Rotary International, an avenue of service for youth and the community. The Fort Yuma Rotarians built the structure from the ground up.

“We didn’t hire anybody to do it, we used our own labor, our family, our friends, and put it together,” said Minda Davy, the President of Fort Yuma Rotary. “It is great to see the kids out here exercising and playing and enjoying it because this particular school did not have anything for this age group to play on during recess.”

The cost for this playground ranged from $23,000 to $24,000. Thanks to several sponsors, Davy said the cost wasn’t nearly as much.

Gravel was provided by DPE Construction and Ahern Rentals supplied equipment for moving gravel and starting construction. The tractor tires were all donated by Pat and Karen Griffen.

“It is an expensive project but that is why we have fundraisers throughout the year and we are grateful to the community for supporting that,” Davy added.