By: John Marshall Lee, CLU, RHU – Volunteer
Today was cloudy and cool but the rain held off. Early activity included re-measuring holes, leveling fixtures one last time and preparing the basketball poles and hoops. At 10:07 AM the concrete truck arrived. A lineup of seven wheelbarrows and handlers, some veterans and some rookies, kept rotating – getting a concrete load from the truck, rolling to over 40 empty holes, and back in line for refills. A wheelbarrow full of damp concrete is not only heavy, but unwieldy. However, the gravel base of the playground saved most rookies embarrassment. One volunteer did manage to dump his load of concrete and his wheelbarrow into a hole early on. He heard about it from the rest and didn’t do it again. The holes were finally filled. Lunch came as the concrete was drying and then two more fixtures were set in the concrete forms and leveled. Wrap-up time.
Lord Dufferin School boasts 500 students. Today, an additional 400 students came to share the school because of a breakdown of water pipes in their school. At recess and lunch the current playground facilities were dwarfed by the number of kids playing.
We were able to locate Gabriel Ginalli-Marquez; one of the 19 students in Ms. Lum’s first grade class – he was the bright and generous student who offered to donate some funds toward the playground build. That willingness to be involved in “one-handed giving” (writing a check, donating cash to a basket) is most unusual in someone so young. However, the “two-handed” generosity of volunteers (giving dollars and time) and the one-handed generosity of MDRT Foundation donors have served this playground build well. For those who believe that building in Canada does not represent an international effort, know that Ms. Lum’s class of 19 students includes children from 10 different countries – China, Vietnam, Somalia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Ecuador and Jamaica.
Tomorrow is mulch day and prep for our dedication ceremony!!
Today was cloudy and cool but the rain held off. Early activity included re-measuring holes, leveling fixtures one last time and preparing the basketball poles and hoops. At 10:07 AM the concrete truck arrived. A lineup of seven wheelbarrows and handlers, some veterans and some rookies, kept rotating – getting a concrete load from the truck, rolling to over 40 empty holes, and back in line for refills. A wheelbarrow full of damp concrete is not only heavy, but unwieldy. However, the gravel base of the playground saved most rookies embarrassment. One volunteer did manage to dump his load of concrete and his wheelbarrow into a hole early on. He heard about it from the rest and didn’t do it again. The holes were finally filled. Lunch came as the concrete was drying and then two more fixtures were set in the concrete forms and leveled. Wrap-up time.
Lord Dufferin School boasts 500 students. Today, an additional 400 students came to share the school because of a breakdown of water pipes in their school. At recess and lunch the current playground facilities were dwarfed by the number of kids playing.
We were able to locate Gabriel Ginalli-Marquez; one of the 19 students in Ms. Lum’s first grade class – he was the bright and generous student who offered to donate some funds toward the playground build. That willingness to be involved in “one-handed giving” (writing a check, donating cash to a basket) is most unusual in someone so young. However, the “two-handed” generosity of volunteers (giving dollars and time) and the one-handed generosity of MDRT Foundation donors have served this playground build well. For those who believe that building in Canada does not represent an international effort, know that Ms. Lum’s class of 19 students includes children from 10 different countries – China, Vietnam, Somalia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Ecuador and Jamaica.
Tomorrow is mulch day and prep for our dedication ceremony!!
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