Playground equipment, school supplies and trash were thrown between the deck and access ramp at Head Start by vandals. Graffiti was sprayed on support pillars, toys and other items were strewn about the property and items were broken. The vandalism was discovered Aug. 12.
When there's trouble in Wrangell, it doesn't take long for the community to show up and pitch in.
Such was the case when vandalism was discovered at the Head Start school on Aug. 12. Staff was shocked at first to find broken equipment, toys and supplies scattered around and graffiti sprayed on support pillars. As soon as the community found out, people began to pitch in.
"We don't need the kids growing up and thinking everybody is bad and ruining their things," said Katherine George-Byrd, co-owner of Zak's Café. "Good people help, and there's a lot of good people helping."
George-Byrd and her husband James George decided to donate the proceeds from all their food sales Aug. 15 to Head Start to help with repairs and to replace any needed supplies.
So far, the restaurant has raised $2,110, and George-Byrd said she is still expecting a few more donations to come in. The restaurant was packed and George-Byrd set up a donation jar for those who just wanted to give money. Whenever there is a need, she said Zak's tries to bring in what they can.
Zak's has raised funds for programs such as No Kid Hungry, Heifer International, and for relief aid for natural disasters like the massive 2004 tsunami in Indonesia and Hurricane Katrina. But George-Byrd said, more money comes in when they're fundraising for local needs.
"We raise a lot more for the United States funds than we did for out of the country," she said. "When we switched over from (Heifer International) to No Kid Hungry, we raised more. When we do local ones ... we do really well."
When Dawn Welch, the Head Start teacher's aide and cook, discovered the damage, she said she was disappointed that someone would cause such damage.
"The first thing I noticed was all of our outdoor blocks scattered all over the porch, then I saw our easel tipped over and it looked to be bent and broken," Welch said. After a short walk around the school, she "noticed there was trash all over the playground, the swings were looped up at the top of the play set, and the gutter (downspout) was completely separated as if it was kicked off."
Head Start Director Sandy Churchill said the teeter-totter was broken as well. This wasn't the first time someone did damage at the school.
"We noticed during (the spring) people were going over there and throwing things around," Churchill said. We posted it (on Facebook) and thought it would stop. We didn't expect it to get worse."
Churchill said she was disappointed and hurt at first, but then realized she couldn't take it personally.
"After talking to the police, it's just some kids that have nothing better to do," she said. "Then I felt thankful for people volunteering right away."
One family brought a new easel to replace the damaged one and then a police officer "bought some nuts and bolts and fixed the teeter-totter," Churchill said. She is hoping to get new equipment for the playground. The school's current equipment was donated by parents, the Elks Lodge, American Legion and other organizations.
Though most of the mess is cleaned up and some of the items are fixed, Churchill said there was still some work to do before Head Start's scheduled opening this Tuesday.
"If the playground isn't accessible, we'll have to find an alternate" like the Evergreen Elementary playground, Churchill said.
One of the donations Head Start received could help deter any future troublemakers.
"We got a webcam donated to us brand-new (for security)," Churchill said. "I have to keep the playground safe for students and staff."
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