KaBOOM! and The Home Depot Bring Play Back to New Orleans
Join S.J. Green Charter School for first Operation Playground project in the city
On a hot New Orleans day, more than 300 volunteers from The Home Depot, City Year and the community came together at S.J. Green Charter School in Uptown to help build a new state-of-the-art playground, transforming a schoolyard battered by Katrina into a great place to play and an inviting place for parents and neighbors to gather.
S.J. Green Charter School was in operation for just two weeks when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans. The storm scattered Green Charter School students and staff across the United States. Not only that, but the building also sustained severe damage from residents using it as an unofficial shelter plus wind, rain, and floodwater. On January 9, 2006, Green Charter School reopened to 350 students, kindergarten through eighth grade; it was one of just a handful of schools to reopen in New Orleans.
"The new playground will provide not just a great place for the children to play, but also for neighbors and families to gather as the city around them continues to rebuild," said Dr. Tony Recasner, principal, S.J. Green Charter School. "A new playground not only has a tangible impact on the health and safety of our students, it will also send a message to the community that real positive change is taking place at the school and in the neighborhood."
After a brief kick-off ceremony, the day began and volunteers scattered in teams across the site. Some worked on the playground structure, some constructed benches and picnic tables, some landscaped or helped with a new mural...but everyone had fun.
It was a true community celebration; in addition to the sounds of construction, the air rang with music and laughter. For many residents, it was a welcome respite from the challenges they faced after Hurricane Katrina battered the great city. Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu even stopped by and congratulated everyone for playing an important role in the rebuilding effort.
One parent of a fourth grade student at the school said, "Coming back after Katrina was hard for me, but there's no way to express how hard it was on the kids. A day like today means more than you can imagine. Now my kids have a place to be kids. Katrina may have taken our home and everything in it, but it won't take their childhoods."
The playground was the first built in New Orleans and the fifth built overall by KaBOOM! as part of Operation Playground, a two-year initiative to build 100 playgrounds in Gulf Coast communities affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Other projects are being planned in Moss Point, Biloxi and New Orleans. To commemorate the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in August, KaBOOM! and The Home Depot will build 10 playgrounds in five days across the Gulf Coast.
"Today is about more than just building a great place for kids to play," said Darell Hammond, CEO and co-founder, KaBOOM!. "It's about coming together and rebuilding a sense of community, too. A playground won't solve all of the problems facing this city, but it can be the first step in the process. What we witnessed here is what we can do in a day. Now let's see what we can do tomorrow."
More than 150 associates from The Home Depot stores in Louisiana and Mississippi were out on their day off to build the playground.
"I'm proud to work for a company who does this," said Allan Duca, a Hattiesburg, MS, associate who lost his house in the storm. "A day like today really means something and it's an honor to be here."
The day concluded with a 'board-cutting' ceremony in lieu of a traditional ribbon cutting, to celebrate completion of the new playground, 'Dino Dig', picnic tables, benches, mural and landscaping projects. Capped off with a Silly String salute, the day ended the way it began, with hugs, laughter and even a few tears.
"We knew we could do this, but with KaBOOM! and The Home Depot believing in us, too, that helped make this project happen. For that, the teachers and students at Green Charter School are forever grateful," added Dr. Recasner.
View the build day
photo gallery and please log in to leave a comment!