Bear Mountain Playground needs volunteer s for September’s construction. The community-supported playground-building project will take place September 16-20 in Stevensville’s Lewis and Clark Park. The steering committee has been busy raising funds and awareness, but now is the time for individuals and groups to step forward and commit to helping out.
“We’re not talking about needing just a few volunteers,” says volunteer coordinator Sherry Ritter. “We’re talking about 140 volunteers per shift, three shifts a day, for five days, plus people supporting them with food and childcare. By July 15, our goal is to have at least 375 volunteers committed to helping with the build, and we’re about 125 volunteers short of that goal.”
Recently, the volunteer committee has been reaching out to groups such as churches, civic groups, and businesses that might want to have teams work together .
According to Ritter, “Groups working together, whether doing construction, preparing and serving food, or providing childcare, is a great team-building opportunity and can make the experience even more fun and rewarding.
Group volunteer commitments have already been made by these businesses: Rocky Mountain Bank, DAM Construction, Trapper Creek Job Corps Center, Valley Drug, Timbercreek Construction and the Kutting Edge.
The Bear Mountain Playground is a community-based effort to create safe and healthy play space that will be usable by every child, including toddlers, older children, and those with emotional or physical challenges. Some of these accessible components aren’t available in other playgrounds in the surrounding area.
Individual volunteers can sign up online at bearmountainplayground.com. Groups should contact Ritter at 370-4778 or sherryritternature@gmail.com.