Kelly Elementary awarded grant for playground

Pictured are members of Kelly Elementary faculty, staff and students as well as family members of the late Karen Seiler, who was a former teacher at the school.

Submitted photo

BENTON, Mo. — The students of Kelly Elementary will soon have more opportunities to soar in the air during recess as new playground swings have been installed, including rubberized safety surfacing for safe landings.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Nov. 15 on the playground. The new swing set is possible through a $22,000 Playground Scrap Tire Surface Material Grant through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Bill Seiler family.

Kelly Elementary Principal Tracy Denbow and Kelly teachers submitted a grant request to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Solid Waste Management. The Playground Scrap Tire Surface Material Grant requires grant recipients to use 100% recycled and scrap materials to complete the playground projects. Rubber safety mats, made from recycled tires, were used to provide a safe surface under the new swing set.

Seiler and his family purchased the swings in honor of his late wife, Karen Seiler, a former teacher at Kelly Elementary. Mrs. Seiler taught for 30 years and had identified additional swings as a playground priority for the school. A memorial fund was set up in her honor and a black granite bench was designed by Emily Seiler, daughter of Bill and Karen Seiler.

Michael Landeros of Forever Granite, made the vision a reality and the bench will be placed near the swings to honor Karen’s memory, as well as give students a place to rest and a kid-friendly surface for alphabet practice and some other games.

The students, faculty, and staff at Kelly Elementary are very grateful for the gift of a new swing set, Denbow said.

“As the Kelly students swing and play, the Elementary faculty and staff will remember Karen and be thankful for the impact she made on so many lives,” Denbow said.