Cochran Primary School PTO

In the summer of 2021 the Williamsport community was blessed with the opening of a brand new inclusive playground on the grounds of Cochran Primary School. The Kids United Playground was a project two years in the making supported primarily by the Williamsport Area School District Education Foundation and the Williamsport Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs, as well as many individual members of the community. So many of Williamsport's children have benefitted from the addition of this inclusive outdoor play space over the past two years and many more will enjoy the playground for years to come. 

As our children have utilized the playground over the past two years it has become apparent that the one thing our new playground lacks is shade from the sun. Seeking shade and reprieve from the sun, children often hide underneath the playground equipment where the equipment itself casts minimal shade. Families utilizing the park during off-school hours are forced to leave when the blaring heat from the sun brings their visits to a quick end. There is a strong concern for the risks associated with unprotected sun exposure on our children, as well as the risk of other heat related illnesses.

With these concerns in mind it became the goal of the Cochran Primary School Parent/Teacher Organization (PTO) to spearhead a project aimed at raising the funds to purchase and install sunshades to provide much needed shade from the sun. In total, this project will cost approximately $40,000 for the purchase and installation of 3 hexagonal cantilever shades to be installed around the perimeter of the playground. This amount also includes establishing a standing maintenance fund to cover the cost of repairs for the sunshades, as needed, in the future. The PTO and Cochran community have worked hard over the past few years to raise half of the funds needed for this purchase. The PTO has committed to contributing $20,000 to this project with the hope that we can fundraise the remaining $20,000 from local organizations, community members and partners.  Please join us in further investing in the safety of our community’s children and enhancing the Kids United Playground by being a part of this project. Thank you!