DEAR EDITOR:

My name is Madelyn Fetty and I am a second grader at Mathews Elementary School. This is the first year kindergarten through fifth grade all go to the same building.

At Currie, which was closed last summer, we had a wooden jungle gym to climb with monkey bars, a fireman pole, and a slide.

We also had a ball court, a pretend car and a big set of swings.

But at this school they added a primary playground for K-2 with only a small wooden bus and train that no one is allowed to climb on.

Several parts have fallen off. Since there is not enough room, the second graders were moved to the 3-5 playground.

At that playground we had monkey bars,swings and a ball court.

When we came back from spring break, construction for the new $2 million dollar gymnasium had started and our playground was gone.

Now we have recess on the black-top driveway.

We used to have sidewalk chalk but now it’s gone. Sometimes we are allowed in the grass as long as it has not rained.

There is no equipment to play with such as swings or even balls and jump ropes.

The school year is ending and my friends and I will not have the fun memories we did last year. We hope we will have a new playground by the end of next year.

There are fundraisers to help reach the $350,000 needed for the project.

One of our township trustees is collecting scrap metal, the Mathews Playground Project is selling bricks, and donations marked “playground” can be made to The H.E.R.D. Foundation at P.O. Box 21, Vienna, Ohio 44473.

I am hopeful to reach people who are kind and will reach out to help me and my friends enjoy our recess soon.

MADELYN FETTY

Vienna