Save the Dream Depot

We are very excited to announce the goal of building the Dream Depot 2.0 in the fall of 2016 at Wacousta Elementary! The dates have been set for this dream to again come true for the students of Wacousta. Here are the build dates Sep 28, 2016 to Oct 2, 2016. The original Dream Depot playground was built back in 1990 with the help of community volunteers and the students of Wacousta Elementary. It was a wonderful playground that encouraged the imaginative spirit of children and saw many students grow and learn through play. After it was announced that the original structure would need to come down due to safety violations, a grassroots organization, called the Friends of Wacousta Playground Project began to take shape. This organization, in conjunction with alumni, parents of current students, and the Grand Ledge community, has now brought to life a new community project where the children will get to build the playground of their dreams! With only black top and green space to currently play on, the children of Wacousta Elementary need our help!

Together, with the help of many community volunteers, local businesses and corporations, our goal is to build an 11,000 square foot playground that can be enjoyed by everyone in Grand Ledge and the surrounding communities. The fundraising and actual building of the playground will be 100% done with volunteers from the community and with the help of Leathers & Associates. Leathers & Associates is a playground design firm based out of Ithaca, New York. They were the company that helped design and build the original Dream Depot. They specialize in projects that are funded and built by communities and have worked with thousands of communities all over the world.

Projects such as this one are very important events that can truly shape a community. The children and community members alike will learn valuable skills such as teamwork, what it means to set your goals high and how to work hard to attain them, and also the importance of giving back to your community. It is our hope that these important life lessons will be as long lasting as they have been for those that helped build the original playground.

We would love to work with you as a sponsor. We are not just looking for a donation; we are looking for a community partner in this project. The project has already received some great media attention from local newspapers and TV news channels and will surely receive even more attention in the future. We would love to take time in every interview, every press release, and at every one of our events to thank our sponsors and spread the word about the good work that you are doing in our community. Due to the length of time that a project such as this takes, there will be many opportunities for your involvement to be recognized. We will also have a permanent recognition board at the playground where our sponsors will be recognized for their contribution. Included in this packet are suggested donations and information on where and how to donate. However, please feel free to create your own donation amount. 

Demographic Profile

              Wacousta Elementary sits in a peaceful rural community in southern Clinton County about 10 minutes outside of Grand Ledge, Michigan and about 12 miles from downtown Lansing. It currently has 483 students that attend in first through sixth grade. It is part of the Grand Ledge Public School system and is one of four elementary schools in the district.

Many of the families in Wacousta love it for the beautiful parks, farmers markets, outdoor recreation activities, and wonderful neighbors. As was the case with the original Dream Depot playground, we expect many families from around the state to come to Wacousta to enjoy this wonderful, unique playground.

Community Input

The students of Wacousta Elementary will be meeting with a designer from Leathers & Associates on Thursday, March 17th. During this Design Day the students will get the chance to tell the designer what they would love to see in their dream playground. In addition to the suggestions from the students, the designer will also gather input from teachers that work with special needs children so that we can make this an all-inclusive playground that meets the needs of all children.