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Groups pool talents to build playground

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By Mary Louise Speer | Sunday, May 11, 2008 |

No more muddy shoes.

Friendly House and the Davenport Kiwanis combined forces on Saturday and created a safe playground for youngsters who attend Friendly Kid’s Corner. The day care/preschool is on North Division Street and provides care for children 2-5.

“Kiwanis is an international service club that’s dedicated to changing communities one child at a time,” Kiwanis president Brian Burke said. “Any cause that involves kids, we always listen to.”

The activity proved a good fit between the two organizations, Burke said.

At times, the undertaking looked similar to a mix of putting a puzzle together and a large scale art project. Helpers used squeegees and plenty of glue to bond the rubber playground tiles into place on a concrete pad. A volunteer “tested” the surface and managed to keep themselves out of a gluey situation after taking a tumble.

Fortunately the surface proved safe, Burke said.

The new play area “adds to the whole quality piece (of) anything you can do to encourage kids to be outside in a safe place,” said Lorelei Pfautz, executive director for Friendly House.

Friendly House partners with schools, businesses, churches and other service agencies to bring needed services to the community.

Sylvia Hicks, the center’s director, and her staff are thrilled at the improvements. Friendly Kid’s Corner leases space at Newcomb Presbyterian Church and they care for about 35 preschoolers and four children who need before and after school care. The center also offers a structured schedule for preschool with plenty of hands-on activities.

Before Saturday’s transformation, staff tried to keep children from playing in that area, which was mostly dirt with patches of grass, she said. “If it rained, the kids would come in with muddy shoes and we’d have to get them all cleaned up,” she said. “Now we don’t have to worry about the dirt, the mud.”

The final stage of the project will involve installation of a fence around the perimeter. Hicks hopes to get more jump toys for the children to make it even more fun to play outdoors.

Kiwanis donated $5,000 in addition to people power to help pay for the new surface. Other donations came from: Alcoa Foundation contributed $10,000, Community Foundation of the Great River Bend, $5,000, and the Scott County Regional Authority donated $10,000.

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2450 or newsroom@qctimes.com.