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CLOUDY Temp: 44 °F Wind: W at 4 mph Thursday, February 20, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend February 9, 2003 Roger Stokes, left, and Eric Hodnett attach a spiral sliding pole to the new playground structure at Jackson Elementary School Saturday. The project is a community effort led by Rotary volunteers. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Donations, volunteers give Jackson Elementary new playground equipment By GREG STILES Mail Tribune Andy Batzer is used to working against deadlines, overcoming obstacles and building things that last. The Batzer Construction vice president admits, however, the project he’s immersed himself in the past couple of weeks had its own set of challenges. And anyone who has ever built a backyard play structure can empathize. "Last Sunday I was a little concerned," Batzer says. "But you plan and plan, and then all of a sudden it comes together." Indeed, on a chilly Saturday morning that would’ve sent bears back into hibernation, volunteers from all quarters of town gathered behind Jackson Elementary School to assemble a long-awaited playground structure. Medford-Rogue Rotary members and volunteers from the community erected a shiny royal blue and red Playcraft playground system constructed of 5-inch round steel poles. The system by Krauss Craft Inc., of Cave Junction, and surrounding ground cover — worth about $45,000 total — are due for completion today. Aging equipment that had a knack for giving off splinters has been removed to other venues. "Once we got the funding in place, we had to organize volunteers and equipment," Batzer says. "We had some pretty good organization, but we didn’t know who would show up." The project is the culmination of several years’ worth of effort by students, volunteer groups and civic leaders. It’s also the forerunner of similar efforts at Howard, Wilson and Roosevelt schools. On one front, the Rotary members got involved when former chapter president Roger Stokes encouraged his associates to find ways to reach "at-risk" children in the community. From that sprung "Connecting With Kids." "We didn’t want to single out individuals, but show that adults cared," says Debra Lee of the 12-member Rotary Team 13 that has had an ongoing stake in the Jackson Elementary playground. In July 2001, the playground area was leveled and repaved with Rotary help. Soccer goals were obtained and Medford Fabrication did work on the poles. Students got involved, asking the city, Medford School District and businesses for funds. "Everyone has worked together in this," says City Councilman Sal Esquivel. "It’s not I or we, it’s us." Funds have come from Rotary International, Carpenter Foundation and Jeld-Wen as well as fund-raisers such as an old-timers softball game at Miles Field last summer. "Everybody we asked said ‘Hey, how can we help?’ " Batzer says. Three truckloads, or 280 yards, of engineered wood chips were piled high above the surrounding assemblage. LTM delivered 10 yards of concrete for footings and Coast Crane supplied a truck to hoist the pieces into place. "This is a well-engineered technical playground system," Batzer said. "Everyone likes to put something together that fits. If something doesn’t fit, then something is wrong." It’s one thing to raise money, write letters and dream, but it’s another to see pieces of metal taking the shape of playground equipment at the 7,800-square-foot site. "We had set up drawings in the lobby and been talking with the kids about it since September," says Tom Ettel, Jackson’s principal. "They got pretty excited when they brought in a piece of the structure on Thursday." Even though frost clung to grass blades late in the morning, the brilliant sun in the southern sky was encouraging to the crew. "We did a project similar to this at Sacred Heart School over New Year’s and we were in a foot of mud," Batzer recalls. "This is a dream and that was tough." Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 776-4463 or e-mail [email protected] . Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S