After just two years of fundraising, Decas Elementary playground now complete

Sep 21, 2013

It took an army of volunteers, a whole lot of elbow grease, and steadfast dedication from a committee charged with fundraising. On Saturday, September 21, the final phase of the John W. Decas Elementary School playground was finished just two years after fundraising began.

It all started in the spring of 2011, when staff and parents realized that the school's playground equipment was on its last legs. In May of 2011, the old equipment was deemed unsafe and torn down. The students were left with one standing structure that was safe, but aging, and not all that exciting.

That was during Principal Christine Panarese's first year at the helm. She enlisted Jenn MacKerron, a secretary in the school's front office, to organize a fundraising effort to get the school new equipment.

"I asked her, 'So, we have a five year plan for this?'" MacKerron recalled on Saturday. "She said, 'No, we have a 'now' plan.'"

"I honestly almost had a heart attack," MacKerron said.

The Decas Elementary Playground Committee formed with eight volunteers -- including MacKerron -- who met at Cosi in Wareham Crossing on Saturdays to plan a myriad of fundraisers from spaghetti dinners to yard sales.

The money came together faster than most people expected -- especially MacKerron.

In April, 2012 -- just 15 months after the effort began -- the Playground Committee had raised the more than $30,000 needed to purchase the bulk of the new playground equipment.

"She got me to do something I never thought I could do," MacKerron said of Principal Panarese. "She's taught me a lot through this."

Last spring, the Playground Committee had enough funds to purchase a swing set for the students. Just before school started this year, volunteers installed the swings.

Enough money was also raised to purchase the final aspect of the playground -- a piece that is designed for younger students to replace the lone standing piece of the old equipment.

On Saturday, volunteers arrived at the school at 7 a.m. to get that final piece built.

The build was originally scheduled for Sunday, but when the forecast had a 90% chance of rain, the plan was quickly changed.

"What are you going to do? It's Mother Nature, you know?" noted Markum Scott, who runs a plumbing and heating business and was recruited by Doug Powers of Abbey Glass to help with the build.

MacKerron profusely thanked Scott as well as Powers, who led the last big build in addition to this one. His daughter attends the school.

School Committee member Mike Flaherty, father to a former Decas student who has since moved on to the middle school, also helped with the build.

"This is just great that the community steps up like this," he said. "That's what it's all about."

MacKerron also thanked the many parents who helped throughout the process.

"Thanks to the parents and the community for coming out," she said.

Panarese was equally thankful.

"I want to say 'thank you' to all the people who made this possible for the kids," said Panarese. "I've never seen so much investment in the school. ... We're so fortunate."

It's unclear whether Panarese knows she nearly gave MacKerron a heart attack after asking her to get a playground built "now," but the principal is clearly grateful to her and the PTA "for following through from beginning to end. They had that goal and they didn't finish."

In the end, the playground was fully funded by donations and built by community volunteers and school district staff.

Panarese notes that the playground is "not only for the Decas kids, but for all the children in the community."

The children are clearly excited. Many made their way to youth sports on the school's fields on Saturday with eyes opened wide in astonishment.

"Mommy! Look what I'm going to have on Monday!" one yelled. (The cement has to set, so students won't be allowed on the equipment until Tuesday, but that's not much longer of a wait!)

Another child yelled: "Look! It's going to be a rollercoaster!"

Well, not quite. But possibly just as exciting... and certainly built with much more love than your typical amusement park ride!