Ridgefield Students Boost Danbury Playground Project

RIDGEFIELD, CT — Students from Ridgefield’s Scotland Elementary School delivered a $1,000 check to Danbury’s Pembroke Elementary School this week, giving Pembroke's fundraising efforts to build a new special needs playground a shot in the arm.

The Pembroke campaign has named a goal of $150,000, which covers new equipment, its installation, removal of old equipment, grading and drainage. The current yard fills with water to the point that the teachers set out cones and yellow caution tape to keep students away. This puts recess recess out of reach for many of the school's students. Pembroke has been selected to serve a number of special needs students in the district and, therefore, has six classrooms, one at each grade level (kindergarten through fifth grade) devoted to children with special needs.

The Ridgefield students presented their donation in the form of an over-sized, hand-drawn check to Pembroke leaders before the Danbury school board on Wednesday.

Pembroke school has set up a website where individuals can send tax-deductible donations and the school also started a GoFundMe page.

For more on the story, see The News Times.