HMK close to fundraising goal for new play structure

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Published on Tuesday, February 14, 2017

By Miranda Leybourne

The Neepawa Press

Hazel M. Kellington School (HMK) in Neepawa is well on its way to having a brand new play structure in the south side of the playground, thanks to fundraising by staff, students and community members.

Allen Hanke, who has been the principal at HMK since 2002, is happy to report that there is approximately $94,000 in the playground fund heading into the Legion Ladies roast beef supper, on Feb. 17, and the quilt raffle fundraiser.

Hanke says that the school has been planning for the new playground since before he started in his tenure as principal.

“When I came here, the previous administration had said that this was something that was on the horizon, that the play structure is going to need to be replaced. They already had $13,000 put away to go towards the new play structure.”

In the past year, the school has kicked the fundraising up a notch, and by the time they started the formal fundraising, they’d already raised around $28,000. The Legion Ladies threw a roast beef supper fundraiser last year as well and Mary Murray donated a quilt she had made, just as she has done this year. Last year, the combined supper and quilt raffle raised $6,700.

There’s still some way to go in raising money so that the new play structure can be put in place, Hanke explains. He says that the four different companies the school has contacted to do the job are revising their original quotes based on the school’s anticipated budget. The new playground will likely cost the school around $100,000.

“Our goal is to decide on and order a new play structure this spring, so that it can be installed sometime this summer and be ready for use in the fall!” Hanke says. “We thank you for your ongoing support as we draw nearer and nearer to our fundraising goal.”

Hanke says there are plenty of tickets available for the supper on Feb. 17, and hopes that there will be a big turnout to the event.