By DAN HEATH
PLATTSBURGH — Volunteers have garnered appreciation from a local child-care center and an area animal shelter.
A crew from the Plattsburgh Lowe's store built a new storage shed at Adirondack Humane Society and rebuilt three playgrounds at Bright Beginnings Children's Center as part of the company-wide Lowe's Heroes program.
Project Chairman Cory Rock said store employees come up with a community-service project each year. The company donates the necessary materials, and the employees volunteer their time to do the work.
PERFECT TIMING
Bright Beginnings Director Jacqueline Prather said the help came in the nick of time, as one of the climbing stations had started to collapse.
"The timing was perfect. They came in and restored all the climbing equipment."
Rock said the volunteers used composite decking, which eliminates splinters and requires little or no maintenance.
The project grew to include restoration of three picnic tables that the child-care center was about to throw out.
"They told us they could take care of that, too. What we were going to send to the dump has been restored," Prather said. "We are forever grateful to Lowe's for doing this project for us."
Rock said eager eyes watched every step of the work.
"The kids couldn't play on those playgrounds until they were fixed. They were watching us pretty close."
SITE FOR STORAGE
At Adirondack Humane Society, the crews built a new exterior storage shed. Shelter Manager Lil Cassidy said she and the staff and volunteers used to have to store equipment, like lawn mowers, at their homes and bring them to the shelter when needed.
"Before, we had to run back and forth to get stuff from home. We had a trimmer stolen because we had no place to store it."
The new shed also is used for extra cages, some records and special-event equipment. The offer came after staff were pricing items at Lowe's in order to do the work themselves.
"Cory (Rock) called me and said they were looking for a project to do," Cassidy said. "This is space we never had. It's been a tremendous help to us."
The building has also helped free up space in the main building. That space is urgently needed because about 130 cats inside are ready for adoption.
Cassidy said the number of pets adopted was way up for the fiscal year that ended this summer. The shelter found homes for more than 500 cats and dogs, compared to just over 200 the year before, she said.
Rock said the Lowe's employees really enjoy being able to help others.
"It's very rewarding to give back to the community and do something that needed to be done. These guys were all a great help."
E-mail Dan Heath at: dheath@pressrepublican.com
