Cement is being poured at the St. Thomas Academy playground in Redmond.

St. Thomas Academy has led a grassroots playground renovation project for the Catholic School in Redmond for an entire year through the school’s Parent’s Association, known as P@STA or Parents @ STA!

It started with a little elbow grease, running fundraisers, and a lot of faith. We have had incredible support from our parish priest the Rev. Todd Unger and our Principal Patty Schulte. The seed was planted by a Bill Huff, a longtime Redmond resident and parent of two students at the school who wanted to make an improvement that would appeal to the students!

Janelle Kreuzner and Nistassa Rigez, president and vice president of the Parent’s Association respectively, adopted the idea and ran with it by hosting car washes in the school parking lot. The group then transitioned into pie sales this past fall, wreath sales before Christmas, and just wrapped up a hanging flower basket fundraiser that have cumulatively raised nearly $15,000.

The momentum created an avalanche of generous donors such as professional design work by Becky Shaw at Homeland Designs here in Redmond.

“Kiwanis Club of Redmond has been an integral piece of our trajectory. We came to this project with zero experience in fundraising, but our Redmond community has felt our passion and drive to educate our students’ minds, bodies and their spirits. It’s important in today’s world to nurture every aspect of who these children are,” said Kreuzner.

All of the excavating and contracted work was provided by Dan Parker of Parker NW, who has broken ground on a 40-foot by 80-foot concrete pad which will consist of a half basketball court, a 20-foot-wide by 8-foot-high wall for wall ball, and a picnic table.

Running alongside the pad will be another 40-foot by 80-foot area for a new play structure, swing set and additional play activities. This surpasses anything the kids have ever had to play on. St. Thomas Academy added a middle-school last fall and officials said that the playground needed some activities for our older students.

“Our hearts are full with everything we’ve been given; from the patrons of all of our fundraisers to the complete strangers that have offered their trades, but we don’t have all of our financial bases covered, Kreuzner said.

The P@STA group is starting a plaque purchase program for the back side of the wall ball wall which will honor the many businesses and individuals that have helped it realize the goal.

It’ll include seating area with all 131 students completing a time capsule project to bury for the 30-year anniversary of the school in 2015. This project aims to include all of the students and staff on the wall with a mounted plaque.

There’s still room to contribute for any business or family looking to make a tax-deductible donation to our non-profit school and church, specifically for the playground, the release said.

The group is offering a Traeger grill it is raffling on June 27 at the culmination of another car wash.

“Improvements to our neighborhoods, churches and schools is what makes any place desirable to live. Working hard to achieve these improvements is what makes the people of Redmond so proud and loyal. We have a great community here and I’ve never felt more proud to be part of Redmond Oregon,” said Rigez.

If one wants to get involved or have any questions about the nearly $100,000 renovation, contact Kreuzner at Janelle.kreuzner@redmondacademy.com or call 503-939-3061.