Chattanooga Is Home

I live very close to a space that was cleared last year and has been sitting, waiting for some excitement.
And that excitement is coming very soon!

St. Elmo is getting a neighborhood park that will include a walking track and playground. The playground will be built by volunteers who are ready to give back to this community their time, strength, and sweat. And the result is going to be a place where children will play, adults will fellowship, and a neighborhood will come together.

Heidi Chapin has been working very hard on this project, gathering the residents together to plan the park (see the plans here) and now rallying the neighbors to sign up and get there.

I got an email from Heidi this evening and here is what she says:

We really need volunteers.
Thursday: have 33 need 38
Friday: have 27 need 38
Saturday: have 67 need 200
Sunday: Have 30 need 200
We are still looking at raising about $500 more.

While we are looking to the St. Elmo residents as primary volunteers, we will not turn away anyone else who wants to see this neighborhood grow and return to the glory of its previous years. Are you someone who lived and loved St. Elmo, but moved recently? Maybe you could help us out? Do you go to church in St. Elmo, but don’t live here? Maybe you can give to the church by offering your time to the neighborhood? We need 200 volunteers on Saturday and Sunday.

There is free coffee, childcare, and all materials provided. (Well, we need some tools, list is a pdf.)

Here is your official invite. Please sign up at the St. Elmo website.

The St. Elmo Playground Build is coming up on March 22nd-25th. This is your official invitation to come come build the playground. Now that your March calendars are up it is time to block off the build dates, go to the website (www.st-elmo.org) and sign up to volunteer and donate something toward this wonderful dream about to come true.
On the new community website which is brimming with wonderful information, you can sign up to donate money using paypal or volunteer to help with the build. Go to www.st-elmo.org and find the playground link. If you would prefer to deal with a real person you can use the contact form and I will email you a phone number. And if you would like to donate money in the check format, use the contact form and I will send you the information.

St. Elmo Playground Build Dates: March 22nd-25th
Thursday-Framing Day
Friday- Framing Day
Saturday- Raising Day
Sunday-Family Raising Day

We need volunteers of every level of skill on all days. Please do not let a perceived low level of skill keep you from coming. There are many things to do from raking and sorting lumber to building stairs.
Skill Level Descriptions:

Level 4 - Strong Carpenter or Construction Skills (may have professional contracting experience)

Level 3 - Basic Carpentry Skills (i.e. building decks) Can operate a circular saw, level and square

Level 2 - Operation of Hand Tools (hammers, handsaws, drills, wrenches)

Level 1 - Raking, shoveling, Sanding

Team Captains: (All skill levels)
To build the playground, we will break it up into individual structures. Each structure needs a team captain. If you are willing to be a team captain, please indicated this on the sign up form.
Tool Lending:
We need tools for the build. Please contact me if you would be willing to loan some of your tools for the whole build (Thursday thru Sunday)and I will send you the contact info. They will be well marked with your information and returned promptly the week following the build. You can find a copy of the tool list on the playground page of the website. If you are unable to lend your tools, please bring your tools on the day that you volunteer for you and your team to use.
Childcare will be provided on Saturday for young children who are potty trained up to 13 years old. They will meet at the Rec Center and need to bring their own lunch.
Lunch, water and some snacks will be provided for all volunteers on all days.

[tags]Chattanooga, St. Elmo, St. Elmo playground, playground, volunteer Chattanooga, volunteer[/tags]