Lowe’s rebuilds after severe weather ravages Findlay, Ohio schools
When severe winds ripped through the town of Findlay, Ohio last November, the greenhouse in the center of the Findley High School was left as a pile of twisted metal and shattered glass.
Today, a tranquil bubbling water feature lies in the center of the courtyard. With the help of 120 Lowe’s Heroes from several local stores as well as 50 employees from the local Lowe’s distribution center, two of the town’s schools received incredible makeovers just in time for start of the new school year.
The water feature was just one of the projects that the Heroes took on. They cleaned and painted playground equipment, spread new mulch and decided to create a 7,500-foot walkway. But as work began, they realized they were facing one more problem: the doors to the courtyard only measured 31 inches wide, much too small to get large equipment through. Still, that didn’t stop these Heroes.
“We actually hauled in over 7,000 pavers and 60 tons of gravel. They had to haul it in by hand. It’s been all manual labor getting everything through,” said Misty Handly, Lowe’s store manager and volunteer. “It’s been a busy week, but it’s been a fun week.”
The teams worked on multiple projects simultaneously at both the Findlay High School and the Jefferson Elementary School. When asked if the school could have done the work without the volunteers, Principal Kim Plesec said, “Absolutely not”.
“A public school typically doesn’t have the resources, so a grant like this, from Lowe’s, is just a once in a lifetime opportunity,” added Plesec.
The volunteers also rebuilt several classrooms, created a fairy garden for kindergarteners and installed a calming sensory room for students with autism, attention deficit disorders or learning disabilities.
Read more about Lowe’s Heroes volunteer projects happening all over the country.