Our thanks to...

Voters, taxpayers, and residents in the Ithaca City School District for approving the facilities bond and funding most of the costs. Additional financial support provided by Frank Proto and Christian Brown, HSBC, the Caroline Parent Teachers Association, and Diane Irwin.

Principal Alaine Troisi for championing this project.

Faculty, staff, students and their parents/caregivers, and community members for actively participating in the design of our new playgrounds. Special thanks to the members of Site Based Council for their leadership and the Parent Teacher Association for holding public forums.

Steve Lauzun and the staff of Parkitects for excellence in designing the playgrounds, providing oversight of the project, directing volunteers during the build, and building it all right along side us.

Director Paul Alexander, Joe Collins, and the staff of ICSD Facilities & Operations and Grounds, and Project Manager John Franzese of Welliver McGuire for advising on many aspects throughout the project, general management, providing and running all heavy machinery, and doing much of the work for prep, build, and continuing maintenance.

Playground Committee chairs Sarah Christen and Sarah Tarrow (Food & Beverage), Chuck Goelzer Lyons and Stacey Mojo (Public Relations), Dave Korb (Security, Tools & Equipment), and Chuck Goelzer Lyons and Amy Martin (Volunteer Recruitment) for their leadership and tireless efforts under an intense schedule.

For powerhouse work, Food and Beverage Committee members Sara Catterall, Paula Klaben and Merri Goodrow; Public Relations Committee members Linda Crispell and Liz Wood; Security, Tools & Equipment Committee members Jeremy Richards, Scott Ryan, and Lilly Westbrook; and Volunteer Recruitment Committee members Holly Monkman and Jeremy Richards. Also thanks to Jeff Spada.

Secretary Janet Gordinier for services beyond the call in helping spread the word and register volunteers.

Joe Scaglione with ICSDMedia.com for promotion and videography.

Town of Caroline webmaster Katy Nicholson for linking to our website and helping spread the word.

Editor Melissa Garrett for publishing All About Caroline, which featured the playground build in its April and May issues.

Writer and community leader Patricia Brhel, reporter Rick Lader, and the Ithaca Journal and Tompkins Weekly for telling our story.

Cornell Fraternity & Sororities for assisting ICSD Facilities & Operations and Grounds staff with the demolition of the existing playground equipment on April 19. (See our photo album for pictures.)

For donations of food and beverages:

  • Barbecue dinner on Saturday and lunch on Sunday by Slaterville Fire Company Auxiliary
  • Subs, pizzas, water, and chips from Dandy Mini Marts
  • Burritos from Moe's Southwest Grill
  • Pizza from Big Al's Pizza and Papa John's
  • Subs from Quiznos
  • Snacks, beverages, and more from John & Laurie Morse, Celebrations Banquet Facility & Catering
  • Beverages from Gimme! Coffee; Shortstop Deli; David Maines and Guy Zaner, Maines Paper & Food Service; Al Snowberger, Loose Ends Vending & Food Service; and the Brooktondale Fire Department
  • Paper products and cutlery from Cliff Thoma, Horwitz Supply
  • Gift certificates from Greenstar Cooperative Market, P&C, TOPS Markets, and Wegmans

    Many families donated paper products, beverages, snacks, fruit, and out-of-this-world baked goods. THANK YOU!

For donations of tools, equipment, and supplies:

  • Ron, Bishop's Carpet One & Pro Home Center
  • Stacey, Cayuga Port A John
  • Dave Korb, Ellis Hollow Community Center
  • Roy, Home Depot
  • Ray and Leann, Lowe's
  • Ron, Staples
  • Jessica, Wal-Mart
For live, on-air interview about the playground, PTA President Stacey Mojo and the Cayuga Radio Group's Dave Vieser, WHCU Morning Newswatch Host and Assistant Program Director, and Doug Scott, Producer, WHCU Morning Newswatch.

Mary Grainger for posting about the build to the Ithaca Public Education Initiative's (IPEI) email list. Pam Hanna for posting about the build to the DeWitt PTA's email list. George Taber, Assistant Director of Community Relations at Cornell University, for help getting the word out about the build.

Caroline Elementary alumna Margaret Pogorzala of The Thomas Group and the many volunteers and others just like her that are actively recruiting friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors to help.

Many, many more to come! Dozens more volunteers are working hard every day in support of the playground build on May 9-10 and we'll be adding more thank you's regularly. Our great thanks to the incredibly supportive and strong Caroline community! Please contact us with additions to our thank-you list.