Fort Concho Fundraiser For New Playground More Than A Success

When Payton Casarez puts her mind to something, she does it; so, the day she learned her school and community would fight together for a new playground, she had one goal in mind: to get the people she knew to understand why she and the children in the Fort Concho community needed a new playground.

Today, the 8-year-old soon-to-be third grader, along with her fellow Fort Concho Elementary classmates and the Fort Concho community, can bask in the knowledge that because of their hard work in raising $80,000, in approximately three months, community children will have a nice new playground to enjoy during and after school, as well as on the weekends, by the time school starts in August.

“I feel really good,” Casarez said. “I feel we needed a nice playground because over there where we play, there’s just a pile of dirt.”

Additionally, Principal Lori Barton, who managed the logistics of the fundraiser, said the playground the school has now is 27 years old.

“When this playground was first built, the school had about 200 enrolled children; we now have close to 500,” Barton said.

Lesley Casarez, Payton Casarez’s mother, said not only is the playground outdated, but it also doesn’t appeal to kids older than her son Joshua. Joshua is 6 years old and will be a first grader this fall.

Because of these issues, many parents complained in a survey that the area needed more playgrounds.

Barton and Fort Concho Elementary staff agreed, and they, along with many of the parents, decided to make a change.

Originally, Barton contacted the city, but no funds were available. The city supported the project, however, and the area of the new playground, which will be on school grounds but available to the entire neighborhood.

With that okay, Barton, Fort Concho staff, parents and community members joined together to conduct their own fundraising and started the 80K 2Play Playground Project in April 2015.

“We made a goal for each family, and everyone gave something," Barton said.

The goal for each family was $200 in raised funds. Barton said some parents donated the target amount outright while other families donated $1,000 or more. Some families who could not afford that amount put together their pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. Many students would walk into class with large bags full of change.

That change amounted to $1,100. Not to mention, by the end of May, thanks to donations, pledges, the San Angelo Area Foundation Project, The Bunyard Foundation, The Day of Giving, a student Walk-A-Thon, and a group of parents joining together to write grant proposals, the community raised $12,000 by May 5.

Lesley Casarez, who is a professor at Angelo State University and has written grants previously for the Fort Concho community, joined together with parents Sylvia Moyà-Lopez, Kristi Hamrick, Susan Beaty, Alicia Cole and Paul Alexander to secure grant funds.

“It was really a team effort,” Casarez said.

Through their efforts, they secured $1,000 from the Walmart Community Grant and a $500 donation from HEB. Most of the money came from local entities, however, Dodge Jones Foundation’s $10,000 grant donation, which came in Wednesday, finalized fundraising efforts.

“We knew it would take a concerted effort,” Barton said. “Everyone came through, and I have to say I am so proud of this community.”

Barton also said this fundraiser taught the students and community a valuable lesson.

“Our kids feel so empowered,” Barton said. The parents also feel empowered because they did something big for their kids and grandkids. I’m so proud of our neighborhood.”

 “I thought it was pretty fun getting the people to understand how we needed a playground in our school,” Payton Casarez said. “I like how the pictures of [the playground] look and how we’re going to get a nice brand.”