New Playscape At St Rose School 

By Tanjua Damon

St Rose students have something new on their playground this week – a playscape installed by parents and parishioners over the weekend.

Students will be able to play on four slides, two platforms, and several fitness components, according to Neil Culligan. It has taken a little over three years to raise the money for the playground through several fundraisers organized by school parents.

Some 40 volunteers assembled the project on Friday, September 29, and Saturday, September 30.

Joe Rahtelli has three children who attend St Rose School. He thinks it is important to help and that the new playground will be good for all the students.

“Because St Rose parents always come out and help,” he said about volunteering. “The kids need a place to play. And it’s a safe place. The other equipment was old and wasn’t as nice as it could have been. The parents realized they could do something nice.”

Jud Doyle’s three daughters attended St Rose School, but now one is in college and the other two are in high school. He still wanted to come and help out with the new playground.

“I’ve been a volunteer at St Rose since my oldest was in kindergarten here,” he said. “It’s just part of what we do. They need help, they call and I do it.”

Mr Doyle said it is good for the kids and even though his children do not need it, it is still nice to help.

“It’s good for the kids,” Mr Doyle said. “My children don’t need it, but there are kids in the school who do.”

Neil Culligan lead the committee of school parents who designed and helped purchase the equipment. Jay Cahill of Custom Construction and Neil Baldino prepared the site.

The group who removed the old playground equipment included Adam Drummond, Trish and Mark Dawley, Jim Braun, Mike Gaddis, and Ed Bokuniewicz.

Rich Tortora provided expert guidance and many of the supplies including construction equipment.

Father Robert Weiss and Principal Donna DeLuca oversaw the project.

“This was truly a community project that involved over three years of planning and donation of time and money by a large number of parishioners,” Mr Culligan said.