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Service project targets Lieder, Watkins outdoor areas
Bryan O’Conner, left, owner of Cypress-based Total Recreation Products, Inc., assists Community of Faith volunteers Phillip Hall, center, and Russell Griffin as they prepare the ground for new playground equipment at Lieder Elementary School. |
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August 2, 2011—
As part of its monthly service project, about 400 members from the Community of Faith congregation completed several outdoor projects at Lieder Elementary School and Watkins Middle School on Friday and Saturday, July 29-30.
With the help of owner Bryan O’Conner and the Cypress-based Total Recreation Products, Inc., the volunteers installed new playground equipment at Lieder.
Brandi Rios and fellow members of Community of Faith’s Serve Saturday team work on painting the wood railing outside of the portable buildings at the Watkins and Lieder campuses. |
O’Conner, a CFISD graduate, oversaw installation of playground equipment at Bane Elementary School during a similar Community of Faith service project in 2009. He said he was happy to help out and give back to the community when the opportunity arose again.
“We were thrilled to help out,” he said. “CFISD has such a broad population from one end to another. Some schools can raise up to $40,000 in a matter of months to build a new playground, while other schools are looking at three- to four-year efforts from their PTOs. Whatever we can do to help them stretch their dollar, that’s all the better,” O’Conner said.
Community of Faith volunteers install some new playground equipment that Lieder students can enjoy for years to come. |
The Community of Faith volunteers also resurfaced the dirt track, added new mulch and flower beds, painted portable buildings, stained wooden walkways and installed privacy slats behind fences for the two campuses. Part of the church’s “Serve Saturday” team, the volunteers worked from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday to complete all the tasks.
“One of the things we talk about a lot is trying to get our church ‘outside of the four walls.’ It’s important to help people outside our community of church,” said Aaron Thomas, Community of Faith care pastor, who oversaw the project. “We really enjoyed getting to work with the principals—Karen Stockton at Lieder and José Martinez at Watkins—to complete these much-needed projects for the schools.
“I still drive by Bane Elementary to this day and see the joy it brings the kids who are out there using their new playground equipment. That’s the most rewarding part for me.”
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