Community builds preschool playground

Jessica Resendiz peeks out from the shelter of a new piece of playgound equipment at Red Rock Elementary School Saturday morning. The Gallup Firefighter's Assocation donated $100 and an 8-man team to assemble the playground for the kids at the school. [Photo by John A. Bowersmith/Independent]

By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Eileen D'Orazio wasn't happy that her preschool daughter's school didn't have any preschool-sized playground equipment.

But rather than complain to school officials, D'Orazio decided to find a solution to the problem. She solicited donations from the community, found some appropriately sized equipment, and asked local firefighters to help put the equipment together.

Now, thanks to that community-wide effort, the preschool students at Red Rock Elementary School will soon have a small playground area to call their own.

Two units of plastic playground equipment were recently purchased from the Step 2 Company of Ohio through the community donations. Amigo Chevrolet's Terry Proffitt, who has a granddaughter in the preschool, donated $400; Century 21 Realty, the school's business partner, donated $500; Cope Memorial Chapel donated $200; the Red Rock Parent Teacher Organization donated $200; the Gallup Firefighters' Association donated $100; and Gallup Lumber donated two exterior benches. D'Orazio and her husband, Dr. Robert L. D'Orazio, also donated $100.

In addition, five Gallup firefighters donated their time on Saturday morning to assemble the play equipment. Michael Hoffman, president of the firefighters' association, was accompanied by Daniel Burson, Johnson Watson, Anthony Martinez, and Ronnie Gonzales. Hoffman, who recently had shoulder surgery, also brought along his father, Edward Hoffman, as his substitute "muscle."

Hoffman said the firefighters enjoy helping with community projects. "Anything to do with kids," he said, "firefighters are into that."

According to D'Orazio, the playground equipment will be permanently installed within a couple of weeks after some playground edging, wood chips, and fencing arrives. The Gallup McKinley County Schools has ordered those materials to help with the project. Hoffman said the firefighters will probably come back again to do the installation work.

Twenty-six children will enjoy the preschool playground this school year. Melanie Diaz, a Red Rock Preschool teaching staff member, said the program serves 13 three and four year olds in the morning session and 13 more in the afternoon.

Diaz said she believes the students will benefit from the smaller scale playground equipment. "It's their size," she said. "They're not there with the older kids getting hurt."

Now that D'Orazio is almost done with this playground project, she has her eyes on another project. Her daughter, Maria, will be moving into kindergarten next year, and D'Orazio has her sights set on improvements to the elementary school playground.

"I'm hoping eventually we can get some up-to-date units," she said. "That's my dream for that playground."