Parents give Gordon portables a facelift

"KINGSTON - Last weekend, parents came to Gordon Elementary with shovels, rakes, and tape measurers - ready to get to work. Gordon Elementary has moved the Options program, for the first time ever, entirely into the six portables behind the school. So, parents decided to give the area a bit of a facelift. They helped build a stage for the program's plays. They pulled weeds and planted trees. They hooked up computer cables. We organized it all by e-mail, said Carrie Snyder, who has two children in the program, sons Robbie and Ben. Snyder said the change is impressive. It's unbelievable, you wouldn't believe it, Snyder said. It looks great. No one would recognize it as the same place. About 40 parents showed up to help, Snyder said. The work was done over two weekends, and was aided by donations from several local companies, including A&L and A&K Topsoil, ATB Construction, and Sack Feed and Grain. Fred Hill Materials also donated supplies. Isabel Gates has two daughters in the Options program, and said it was impressive to see all the work that was done. It's neat, watching it all come together, she said. She believes the changes will help the approximately 125 kids in the program. She wasn't surprised by the turnout of parents who braved the rain to help. Parent Joe Beaulieu even climbed onto a tractor to help with the soil. It's been that way since I've been in the program, Gates said. There's a call to arms and people come out. It's a joy seeing it. We're a part of each others' lives. "

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