MONTEVIDEO -- It takes lots of helping hands to turn dreams into reality.
Montevideo is now in the process of recruiting those helping hands: Plans are taking shape for a five-day project to build a community playground in Smith Park in June, according to Scott Marquardt, economic development director for the community.
Volunteers spearheading the ambitious program devoted last weekend to putting together the logistics for the project. They have identified the numbers of helping hands that will be needed for the nonstop production phase of the project, which is scheduled for June 7-11.
The organizers are putting out the call to recruit 100 volunteers for three four-hour shifts planned for the first three work days.
As many as 150 to 250 volunteers are needed for each of the three shifts planned for the final two days. Volunteers can work more than a single shift, and they can work as many days as they wish.
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Volunteers do not need to possess any special skills, said Marquardt. Those who are handy with tools are welcome, but there are many jobs that require no more than a desire to help, he said.
There are tasks from helping with providing child care at the site to serving food. There is also a need for people with an eye for the arts, he added.
The community has contracted with Leathers and Associates of Ithaca, N.Y., to design and oversee the project. Students in the community offered their ideas of what they want to see in the playground. Architects with the firm have now developed a grid-like plan for the playground and determined the logistics of its construction. Everything is spelled out in detail -- from the number of helping hands to the number of screws and recycled, plastic "wood'' needed to build the playground.
The city needs to raise $150,000. A community fund-raising effort for the project is now approaching the $120,000 mark, Marquardt said.
The funds will cover the architect and design costs, as well as the cost of materials that are not donated.
Once completed, the playground will have an estimated value of more than $500,000, according to the organizers.
They are now encouraging anyone interested in helping out -- either as volunteer workers or as contributors of funds or materials -- to contact organizers. They include: Jerry Tilden, project coordinator, (320) 269-6481; Robin Jones, volunteer coordinator, (320) 269-0936; and Dean Risa at Klein Bank, (320) 269-6454.
