When Mason Community Learning Center students return to school in a few weeks, they’ll notice some changes to their playground.
New basketball nets. Fresh mulch around the play set. Benches for players and spectators. Brand-new balls and other sporting equipment.
The improvements are thanks to Akron Coca-Cola, which donated $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity to refurbish the playground.
About 30 Coca-Cola and Habitat for Humanity volunteers worked together Thursday, spreading 50 yards — five dump trucks full — of fresh mulch, pulling weeds, removing rocks and hanging basketball nets. They’ll return before school starts Sept. 1 to install benches and two more pieces of playground equipment.
The effort is part of the national Sprite Spark Parks: Neighborhood Parks and Community Spaces program, which will invest $2 million this year into building or revamping basketball courts, community spaces, playgrounds and athletic fields in 150 cities across the country. The company hopes to encourage community involvement and physical fitness.
Habitat for Humanity of Summit County has built several homes near Mason, at 700 E. Exchange St., and program leaders thought the combined school and community center’s heavily used playground could use the face-lift.
“You’re the perfect park,” Rochelle Fisher, president of Habitat for Humanity, said during a ceremony to recognize the effort.
Several local leaders thanked Habitat for Humanity and Coca-Cola for their donations of money and time.
“We want to create environments for children to thrive and grow,” said the Rev. Curtis Walker, president of the Akron school board. “You’re making that possible.”
State Rep. Zack Milkovich showed up in a suit, but went home and changed into work clothes to help the volunteers. He grew up near Mason and played on the playground. He said the area has “long been forgotten.”
“We never had it so good like this,” he said.
Nick DePinto, who manages Akron Coca-Cola’s distribution center, said he has no problem getting volunteers to help with projects like Thursday’s.
Coca-Cola employee Dave Anderson was in charge of hefting the mulch into wheelbarrows for other volunteers to spread. He said he didn’t mind the task, despite the heat.
“It’s a good change of pace to get outside and touch the community we serve and work in,” said Anderson, who works at the Akron plant and lives in Wadsworth.
Jerry Bitong, another Coca-Cola employee, both lives and works in Akron.
“There’s no better way to give back than to give back to the kids,” he said.
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com.
