(Chelsea Update would like to thank Shawn Personke for the information in this story.)
Over 25 years ago, the original TimberTown play structure was built from scratch. Hundreds of volunteers of all ages came together in a barren field to raise the timbers that became Chelsea’s iconic playground.
It was an amazing week of community building, laughter, and hard work.
Well, perhaps you’ve heard. Together, the City of Chelsea and their community partners – and people like you – will come together to reimagine TimberTown. We’ll retain and repair the old, and bring in the new.
The Clocktower Lookout Tower and its ramps and cubbies will be sanded, stained, and repaired. The Jiffy Mix and apple murals will be repainted. Sightlines (so parents can track their kids better) will be improved.
And then new features will be built from colorful and long-lasting structural plastic. We’ll have many ADA features, new climbing areas, new swings and slides, a “poured in place pathway,” and a whole new TotTown for the 2 to 5-year-olds to explore.
But a project of this nature needs many hands to make light work. This generation’s BUILD hopes to recapture the joy and satisfaction of the 1997 event. To that end, we hope you can sign up early and sign up often to lend a hand.
In a nutshell, we’ll need 6 different kinds of help. Mix and Match to help us fill all the slots on our SignUpGenius. We can also sign you up manually, if needed.
Food donations – to feed and keep our volunteers energized.
Food setter-uppers – you’ll help get things ready to feed 60 people after their volunteer shift.
Build volunteers – both “skilled” and “laborer” – can you handle a circular saw or measure accurately? Or are you more comfortable painting, sanding, using a screwdriver, etc.
Childcare volunteers – we’re offering childcare during the week and we’ll need people (ages 14 and up) to watch kids while their parents are helping out at TimberTown.
Need childcare? We’ve got you covered.
Volunteer Organizer – With that many volunteers, we’ll need people to check in the volunteers, collect their waivers, and point them in the right direction.
Here’s the link to get much more info about all of these opportunities.
August 6-11 is going to be an amazing week. Like the first time around in 1997, it will be a week you’ll never forget.
Join in. Get more info or sign up at www.timbertownchelsea.org/volunteer
