FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – Despite weather conditions Friday morning, twenty-five volunteers from Duke Energy spent hours to build the Early Childhood Center at Woods Road a new playground as a part of its community outreach program.
The design of the playground will include a rock climbing wall, tunnels, benches, picnic tables, boxed gardens and a mud kitchen.
Florence School District One officials say there is about 150 students at the center currently.
But that number will double next year as more students will move from RN Beck’s Childhood Development Center on Sumter Street since the district plans to build a new location there.
Director of School Readiness Floyd Creech says Friday will be the first real event the district and Duke Energy is doing to make the school environment a better place for children.
“Well whenever you have a volunteer reach out to you and say we’d like to do something for the school you feel great about it because you know they’re concerned what you’re concerned about and that’s young children,” said Creech.
Site Manager Jill McMillan says the center’s goal is to provide kids and their families with quality preschool experiences.
She says though the students are in their last two and a half weeks of school they’re excited and preparing for next year.
“This is my first year as a site manager. I was a first grade teacher for thirty three years so to see these three and four-year-olds mature, it’s been amazing,” McMillan said.
