Hillcrest School is looking to create a bigger playground for its students and people living in the neighbourhood, and is running a fundraiser to help achieve that goal.
“Our Grade 5 to 8 playground is basically just a big open field with a basketball court, and that’s about it,” said community education liaison Sara Pippus. “We want to change the face of that, for kids to play out there. We found that without something to do at recess, kids don’t enjoy recess time that much.”
Although specific designs and layout for the new playground are still in planning stages, it will be designed with the purpose in mind of creating a gathering place, with imaginative play spaces to encourage free play and learning among the students who use it. The playground would also serve as a central meeting place for people living in the surrounding neighbourhood.
“We’re going to incorporate more places to meet, and picnic tables and things like that,” said Pippus. “Hopefully, over the next few years, we’ll be able to develop that playground into what we’d like it to be.”
In order to raise the necessary funds to make the new playground a reality, Hillcrest School has partnered with FundScrip, selling gift cards that can be used at local businesses like cash. With each purchase of a gift card, the company gives the school’s fundraiser a rebate. So far, the school has raised a quarter of the funds necessary for the playground.
Pippus estimated the project will take about three years to complete in its entirety, and that any progress is “hemmed in by the seasons,” and limited to the spring and fall, since the summer break delays progress until fall, and winter limits what progress can be made.
Students at Hillcrest have set out with paper forms, looking for anyone interested in purchasing the gift cards. Additionally, there are forms available online.
“What you do is you contact us if you want to order by paper form, of if you want, you go online to FundScrip’s website, and there’s an easy process there, to sign up,” said Pippus.
FundScrip’s gift cards are redeemable at businesses throughout Estevan. Pippus described the gift cards as “a good way to put out cash and get something worth the same amount back, instead of making a purchase of something you might never lose for a fundraiser. It’s like getting money back for money.
Pippus noted that everyone involved with the fundraiser is quite excited and dedicated — particularly the students.
“They’re really invested in doing things for their own playground. A lot of them live in the area too, so they can take advantage of the playground after hours, too,” said Pippus. “We’d all like to thank our community for supporting us, and hope if anyone’s looking to purchase gift cards, that they know this is the place to do so, especially with the Christmas season ahead of us.”
