Students at Wiltse Elementary School will have a Christmas gift to look forward to playing with next year.
Thanks to the fundraising by Wiltse’s Parent Advisory Committee, the school playground will be getting a bit bigger with the Apollo equipment.
The Apollo is a two-story climbing and spinning piece of playground equipment, that will be installed some time in early 2021.
“It’s so cool,” said Wiltse Grade 4 student Maxwell Hodges. “It’s like a spaceship had a 4-meter-high baby with a merry-go-round and then someone turned it into a spiderweb.”
The Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) raised over $40,000 to purchase the new piece of equipment and go towards its installation.
READ MORE: Wiltse PAC setting the bar high for new playground equipment
In 2019 the PAC held a “playground-a-thon” where they invited the community to forgo buying oversized t-shirts, skipping rope, and baking cupcakes and simply pop by on their ‘marathon’ day with a cheque. The event raised over $8000.
”The staff and students of Wiltse Elementary have always appreciated the support that we receive from PAC, parents and the local community. This is truly an example of coming together to achieve a common goal,” said principal Travis Bond. “Hundreds of current and future students will enjoy this new play structure.”
| A 3D render of the new Apollo |
The installation of the Apollo still needs $5,000 of funding.
“There has been such generosity from our parent community and Wiltse’s entire neighbourhood,” said Tina Lee, chair of Wiltse’s Playground Committee. “We’re so close to our fundraising goal.”
The playground installation has been buoyed by an in-kind contribution from Wendy and Wade Wagstaff of Grizzly Excavating, to cover the excavation and trucking costs associated with the playground installation.
Wiltse PAC is making one last appeal for contributions before the new year hoping that any local businesses or individuals may want to take advantage of charitable tax credits available to playground donors.
Contributions can be made by contacting Wiltse PAC at wiltseschooplac@gmail.com or online at gofundme.com/wiltse-elementary-playground-expansion.
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