Sedgebrook Volunteers Revitalize Elementary School Playground

By Melissa Borgerding
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

“The playground was in pretty bad shape when we got there,” says Bill Leroy, one of several Sedgebrook residents who volunteered to help revitalize the playground at Carman-Buckner Elementary School in Waukegan. “But we got a lot of work done, and I’m sure the children will be pleased with the results, their parents and teachers too.”

In August, members of the woodshop and gardening committees joined forces with Sedgebrook staff to plan a big surprise for children heading back to school.

Sedgebrook’s Human Resources Coordinator Jennifer Pena organized the schoolyard clean-up. “We planted flowers, painted lines for the basketball court, and cleaned up the playground. It almost brought tears to my eyes to see how great everything looked after.”

Giving Back to the Greater Community
Members of the woodshop committee made two seven-foot cedar benches to donate to the new and improved playground. “We were happy to help,” says Bill, who is chair of Sedgebrook’s woodshop and co-chair of the gardening committee.

The woodshop committee has already handmade additional cedar benches and ‘raised planters’ for the grounds at Sedgebrook. A ‘raised planter’ is a planter that lets you slide a chair underneath to garden more comfortably,” explains Millie Elliott, who signed up for the woodshop committee as soon as it started last November. Millie did her part by helping put the finish on the benches in the shop.

While Bill is proud to donate projects to Sedgebrook, he says he was excited for the opportunity to give back to the greater community. “There’s no better way to get to know the people in the community than through working with them.”

‘The Smiles Said It All’
Though Sedgebrook provided transportation to and from the elementary school, many volunteers chose to continue working long past the official quitting time.