Spaghetti and jazz for a new playground

WEBUTUCK — Last Thursday, Jan. 29, the Webutuck Playground Committee sponsored a spaghetti dinner to raise money for new playground equipment. In addition to dinner, the Eugene Brooks Middle School Jazz Band played a special concert.

“We’re out of the classroom and into the nightclub!� music teacher Jay Bradley yelled before the band took over.

The dinner raised funds to purchase new playground equipment for the Amenia Elementary School. District Superintendent Richard Johns explained that much of the existing wooden equipment hasn’t been approved as being safe for a long time.

“There’s better technology now,� he said, “and safer equipment.�

But what if the district decides to close the Amenia school building?

“No matter where we are, we’re going to need a playground,� said Tammy Nethercott, a special education teacher in the district. “And it’s going to cost a whole lot of money.�

A dedicated fund has been set up for any money raised, which means that it can’t be used for anything beside playground equipment upgrades. In the event that Amenia Elementary is closed, the district would upgrade a combination of playground equipment at the Millerton or Webutuck elementary school buildings.

Nethercott estimated that they served about 200 dinners Thursday night. At $6 for adults and $3.50 for students, it accumulated to about $900. But with playground estimates of approximately $50,000, “we know we have to do a lot more,� she said.

Teachers have been donating to a “Dress Down for Playgroundâ€� fund that has raised $100. There are also  penny jars around the community that are not only raising money, but helping students with their math, too. Nethercott explained that the kindergarten class sorts the coins, the first grade counts them and the second grade adds the coins.

Additionally, a fundraising volleyball tournament was held last May and it is expected that another tournament will be held again this coming spring.

Nethercott thanked Grand Union, Freshtown, Ritchie’s Deli and Hannafords in Pawling for helping to offset food costs. She also thanked Paul Nethercott for shopping, Jeanne Farese for “food service extrordinaire,� Rudy Eschbach, the teachers at Amenia Elementary, and especially the parents for making it such a successful event.

Anyone interested in donating to the fund can make checks payable to the Webutuck PTA, PO Box 270 Amenia, NY 12501. For more information, call the Amenia Elementary School at 845-373-4120.

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