Home Sweet Home Depot

If it’s been awhile since you visited the playground at the Third Street Elementary School, you’re in for a pleasant surprise.  Thanks to the generosity of The Home Depot company and their kind employees, children once again can play in an atmosphere that is clean, safe and fun.  As an added bonus parents now have a nice spot under a tree to sit and sleep watch their young ones have a good time.

Made in the Schade

Like with all good things, you need someone who is committed enough to give the time, effort and hard work which is required to get the job done.  In this case, we have more than just a few, but I would like to particularly mention the sparks, because it is an interesting story.

Tracy Schade went well beyond the extra mile called for, she actually went 11.92 according to MapQuest.  That is how far it is to the Phillipsburg location of Home Depot.  It was there, while trying to wrangle some free paint (oh these PTO’ers are tough) from an employee named Kathy Hulser that things started to happen.  It turns out, Kathy is more than just a good worker, but a good Belvidereian, as well.

Thirty five hundred dollars and an army of volunteers later, this project began to take on a life of its own.  After Dr. Sandra Szabocsik, 3rd street’s excellent principal, gave the all important Green light,  the ball was then handed over to the outstanding President of Belvidere’s PTO, Caralee Gately.  Mrs. Gately in turn rallied the troops and the rest, as they say in the education business, is history.

After being well fed on free Little Johns Pizza the volunteers can now sit back in the shade, under the tree and listen to our applause for a job well done.  On behalf of BelvidereGreen.com I want to thank you.  It was truly a team (Depot) effort.

Now what’s next?