JAMESBURG Residents have stepped up to help borough children and their parents fund construction of a skate park in the borough.
By:Nick D’Amore
JAMESBURG Residents have stepped up to help borough children and their parents fund construction of a skate park in the borough.
“We’re very pleased with the donations coming in,” said Teri Pilecki, co-chairwoman of the skate park committee, along with Susan Zimmer.
“We get very excited when we go to the mailbox,” said Ms. Zimmer. Ms. Pilecki said they have received $2,400 in donations for the skate park.
Among the contributors was Oliver and Ruth Soden from the Soden Insurance Agency in the borough, who donated $1,000.
Mr. Soden said he and his wife are both lifelong residents of Jamesburg and have 12 grandchildren.
“I read about the skate park and thought that it would be the greatest thing since Little League got started here,” said Mr. Soden, who has managed Little League teams in the past.
“We are a 100 percent behind the kids,” he said.
A $200 donation also came from the Jamesburg Democratic Club, and club member, Eugene Tonkery also donated 144 T-shirts with the Jamesburg Skate Park logo to be sold for the cause.
“I would like to see the kids get a park,” said Mr. Tonkery. “The way the town is coming together for this is great.”Charlie Dipierro, from Brothers Paving and Excavating, also made a donation for $300.
“It’s a great thing,” he said of the skate park.
“The kids need somewhere to go and it’s a positive thing for the community,” said Mr. Dipierro.
Ms. Pilecki said the committee also has received $500 in donations from mailings to residents. They also made $700 from a candy sale last month.
The skate park is expected to cost $30,000 and will be built at Knights of Columbus Green Acres Park, near the baseball fields behind the Grace M. Breckwedel School. The $30,000 would cover asphalt, fencing and various ramps and obstacles for the skateboarders and Rollerbladers.
In addition to accepting donations, the committee is having a spaghetti dinner at the Jamesburg Elks Club after Easter. It also is sponsoring a car wash at the Jamesburg Gulf station on Saturday, May 12.
Ms. Zimmer said they will being petitioning larger corporations, such as Johnson & Johnson for donations, as well as borough businesses.
The skate park idea was proposed at a meeting in September. The meeting was held to address school district concerns of kids using John F. Kennedy School as their skating area. Skateboarders and Rollerbladers used the steps and handicapped ramp to create their own course.
The next meeting about the skate park will be Friday, April 1.