SARAH SPHON PROJECT TO MAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL PLAY AREA SAFER

 

$51,000 goal would provide Monongah Middle School students with a play area safe from traffic

Sarah Hess Sphon, already busy as co-founder of the Giver’s Hand Community Food Pantry in Monongah, is involved in another worthwhile $51,000 project, with a goal of providing a safe area for students to play basketball and tetherball, have a pavilion/outdoor classroom, picnic tables, recreational equipment storage unit and balls, hula hoops, jump ropes, cornhole, snookball, etc. during school hours.

Currently, Sarah says, they have to interrupt play to dodge outgoing and incoming traffic. In Ohio the schools have enclosed, fenced areas for recess playtime, which separates play areas from traffic.

Also, as we know, the most children run and play the more they work off unneeded excess weight which is healthier for them.

Another goal is to reduce midweek lunchtime misbehavior.

She says so many of the students’ parents’ incomes are below the poverty level that it’s difficult for them to pay for the improvements.  

Middle School principal Brad Harker and Marion County Trade School principal Jay Michael say that students enrolled in the carpentry and electrical programs will provide some of the labor.

Monongah Middle School will fund the first $10,000. Anothe $7,000 has been pledged. That’s leaves $33,000 for the rest of us.

Make your check out to

Monongah Middle School

For Memo: LSIC Project

Mail to:

Monongah Middle School

550 Camden Avenue

Monongah, WV 26554

Sarah says all donors with get a letter/receipt for their donations.

Since the school is non-profit you can get include it for a possible deduction when you file your 1040 federal income taxes next year.

Her children attend Monongah Middle School.

The project will have three phases:

1. Excavation, concrete, installation of basketball hoops and tetherball poles, drainage, electrical and surveying.

2. Construction of the pavilion/outdoor classroom.

3. Picnic tables, storage unit for recreational equipment, buying balls, hula hoops, jump ropses, cornhole, snookball, etc.

My Monongah, from my childhood there to today, always has risen to the occasion when there is a need even though it’s not a town of millionaires. Just people who are more valuable to a community than millionaires.

If you have any more questions or want to help with money or in other ways phone Sarah at (304) 838-9771.