$900 DEPOSITED TODAY... We're on our way

Thanks to Sophie Macaulay, Patty and Dave Winter and Mary Arden for their donations to the playground. They made donations during the month of November and we are so grateful that they're helping us kick off our fundraising effort. 

Send your donations to: 
TCC Playground
P.O. Box 652 
Topanga, CA 90290

Thank You!! 

We raised nearly $1000 at the Swap Meet and Chili Cook-off.... And had a great time doing it!

Donate your gently used toys, books and clothing for the TCC SWAP MEET THIS WEEKEND!

We need your help to raise funds for our new playground at the Topanga Community Club. 

The Club is hosting a Swap Meet and Chili cook-off this Saturday, November 10. The Playground Committee is sponsoring a booth for gently used kids' items. 

If you have not brought anything to donate for this effort yet, you may leave items at the large green container behind the community house during the following hours this week: 

- When you go to VOTE in the TCC Election on Thursday evening

- Friday afternoon between 4 and 5:30 

PLEASE SEPARATE ITEMS: 

CLOTHING

TOYS

BOOKS

and... don't forget to come and buy something on Saturday!

Thank You!!

Notes from Oct 15 Playground Meeting

Here's what happened on Oct 15: 

If you missed it, we briefly reviewed the schematic for the playground (see attachment, also posted at www.topangaplayground.blogspot.com) and discussed fencing options before we moved on. We'll be adding some features such as snake-proof fencing elements. We hope to raise some funds by selling pickets for a portion of the new playground fence (some will be chain-link for visibility purposes overlooking the field) at the TCC Swap Meet on Nov 10. Please mark your calendar now to help out in some way on the 10th similar to what we did for Earth Day. Read on for plans and proposals for that day. 

TCC SWAP MEET is November 10. WE WILL HAVE TWO BOOTHS.

We need: Volunteers in 2-3 hour shifts to tend our tents: 

9-11am set-up

11am-1pm

1pm-3pm

3pm-5pm / clean up

Our Main swap meet booth will have:

Bake Goods Sale to benefit the playground! - See volunteer bakers below, please make something to sell! 

Making tshirts, bags to sell - Petra and Miwa 

Sponsor a fence post for $50

Lesley- gluten free treats

Mary - raw chocolates

Kelly - pumpkin muffins, will get Patty Winter to make a donation

Nonie - choc chip cookies

Gabrielle - brownies

Miwa -  oatmeal raisin cookies

Jenny - lemon bars if in town

Please let me know what you would like to bake to add to our sale at the Swap Meet, or post on our Facebook page so we know what to expect from you.

Our 2nd booth will be a swap meet booth:
PLAYGROUND FUNDRAISER -- KID CORNER: ONLY selling kids' clothes, books and toys.

Parents should drop off donations of kids' stuff only IN BOXES OR BAGS, not out on its own at the TCC on Friday, November 9.  (Gabrielle will specify the hours and location at the TCC for drop off by Nov. 1st.)

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM JENNI KLEMP - 

All are welcome to meet at Trippet Ranch on Tuesdays 11-4 for playtime and enrichment

Please attend square dancing and steak night on Sunday! IF you can't make it Sunday evening, try to support the club on Saturday by coming to get your car washed in the morning. 

Franka and Eric will coordinate Materials!!  Thank you!

But we still need coordinators for following positions please! ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT- Volunteer Coordination! Would you or someone you know like to do this? Want to pair up and do it with a friend? Please consider it! 

Volunteers:_________________________________________________(name, phone, email)

Primarily responsible for recruiting individuals and group commitments to provide the labor to construct the project over a 5- or 6-day period. Based on your final design, Play by Design will specify details for work schedules and number of volunteers required. This is also a position that is better shared by two people.

Short Term Goals:

• read the entire packet but concentrate mostly on their individual section
• put together a realistic timeline adjusted to their life
• Start database (names, phone #'s, and email addresses)
• Everyone is on this committee
• Figure out who your sources are
• Contact them
• 50 vols. / 10 captains by org. day
• Names, phone #’s, & e-mails
• Don’t just know that the rotary club is sending 40 people.  Get all 40 of their names, …
• Everyone who buys a picket, t-shirt, block 

Tools: _________________(name, phone, email)

Play by Design will provide a list of the tools you’ll need to complete your playground. This coordinator gathers the necessary tools, typically loaned by individuals, rental shops, and occasionally tools manufacturers. 

• distributes equipment in safe working condition during the build 
• arranges for owners to pick up their tools in “check-in” condition at the end of the project
• ensuring construction electrical service

Short Term Goals:

• read the entire packet but concentrate mostly on your individual section
• put together a realistic timeline adjusted to their life
• List sources for tools
• Find someone to be in the trailer changing bits, blades, etc. and making small repairs, and signing out tools.
• Can never have enough splitters, electrical cords, and drills.
• Make sure 200 Amp service is in place for construction or can use electricity from building
• tools = volunteers

Childcare:___We will ask local preschool teachers but no one committed___

_______________________________________________(name, phone, email)

Creates a structured program to provide supervision of children while parents are working on the playground site. Typically, this is a team of individuals, and experienced childcare providers are very helpful.

Short Term Goals:

• read the entire packet but concentrate mostly on your individual section
• put together a realistic timeline adjusted to their life
• Have a list of ideas of activities for kids to do
• Should be different activities for different ages
• Figure out location of childcare

PLAYGROUND DESIGN

Here we go....
Let the Sponsorships BEGIN!

These are approximate costs that we're hoping folks will give to sponsor various elements of our new playground. What will you sponsor???

Topanga Price List

This list is for fundraising purposes only. Because most of the components are custom built, the dollar amounts shown are “educated guesses” of the labor and materials costs of individual components. 

5-12 Year-Old Area

Rope Ladder:  $800

Castle:  $1,000

Wobbly Bridge:  $1,500

Bumpy Slide:  $1,200

Secret Messaging System:  (3) @ $500ea.

Bouncy Bridge:  $1,000

Animal Maze: $1,500

Zip Line:  $2,300

Rings:  $800

Fire/Sliding Pole:  $570

Monkey Bars:  $900

Swing Set:  $1,200/set (3 sets)

Face Tree House $8,000

Climbing Wall $2,000

Swirly Slide:  $3,000

Tunnel Slide:  $4,500

Dizzy Spinning Pod (hurricane spinner):  $1,800

Shaded Homework Grassy Area w/ Chimes and benches:  $5,500

Picnic Tables: (2) @ $700ea

Benches: (3) @ $200ea 

Octagonal Bench around Tree $700

Tot Lot

Elevated Tea House:  $6,000

Fast Double Racing Slide:  $1,500

Sound Wall: $600

Balance Pods:  $400

Arch Bridge: $250

Tot Swings:  $1,200

Tunnel: $250

                   

DESIGN DAY!

Design Day has come and gone... and what a busy day it was! We welcomed Lisa the designer on Wednesday evening and met at the playground site to take measurements. On Thursday Lisa sat down with all of the students at Topanga Elementary and asked them what would be on their ideal playground. They excitedly contributed many wonderful ideas that would ultimately be part of the design she unveiled later on Thursday evening.

The plans will be finalized and sent to us shortly and we'll post them here for you to see! There are slides and swings and a zipline and monkey bars and picnic tables, benches and so much more. Please consider volunteering for a committee (see previous posts about committees!) and don't forget to become a member of the TCC if you aren't one already!

Schedule for Thursday, 9/13

This is our designer's rough schedule for Thursday. As you can see, there's a lot of listening, interviewing and drawing involved. Please send your ideas in ahead of time if you have them!! 

ALSO, if you'd like to donate lunch for our design team (architect and designer) or donate dessert/ snacks at the unveiling on Thursday evening, please contact us at topangaplayground@gmail.com. 

Thursday, September 13
7:30 – 8:00am Breakfast

8:30 – 11:00am Children’s Interviews at Topanga Elementary (13 minutes in each class with 2 minutes for transition)
11:00am–11:30pm Designer looks over children’s drawings while eating lunch and set up drawing space at TCC.
11:00am- 4:30pm Designer draws at TCC
2:00-3:00pm Volunteers put up kids drawings, decorate, and set up for celebration.
4:30-6:30pm Reboot Parent Committee Meeting (Designer meets with entire committee and anyone interested in being on the committee. (Potluck?)
7:00- 8:00pm Community Celebration and unveiling!

Extra Extra! Design Day is Thursday! Read All About It!

This is the most recently published information about the playground project at the TCC. Please read and pass it along!

http://www.topangamessenger.com/story_detail.php?ArticleID=5529

Volunteers Needed!

Please Volunteer for the TCC Playground Committee

The new Topanga Community Club Playground is an exciting project with great potential, but we need your help to make it a reality. Part of the idea behind the community built playground is that it is managed and organized by us, the caring and concerned members of the community, not by someone who is simply hired to assemble a pre-fabricated playground. This means we need a great deal of support and involvement from everyone leading up to the week when we'll come together and build our dream playground. Many hands make light work! 

PLEASE consider volunteering to be a chairperson in one of the following areas for the committee. If you and a friend want to share the responsibilities, co-chairs are also welcome. Time commitment depends on each position, but would generally be a few hours a week to start and possibly more as we get closer to our build week, which we hope will be in late April or early May. We need chairs for the following positions:

Volunteers:    Primarily responsible for recruiting individuals and group commitments to provide the labor to construct the project over a 5- or 6-day period. Based on our final design, Play by Design will specify details for work schedules and number of volunteers required. This is also a position that is better shared by two people.

Public relations:     This coordinator has the very important task of building the community support that is vital to a successful project. It is also necessary to thank volunteers and supporters before, during and after construction, and generally give correct information about the project. Many projects have a website that is continuously updated with current information. For Topanga, we already have a BLOG that would simply require updating every week and more often if there's news! 

Fundraising: 

Fundraising requires a dedicated team approach and a sensible action plan that combines grassroots fundraising, business donations, and possibly some grants. Play by Design will help assist this coordinator or team with sample forms and ideas that have been successful for hundreds of other communities just like ours.

Tools:  Play by Design will provide a list of the tools we’ll need to complete the playground. This coordinator gathers the necessary tools, typically loaned by individuals, rental shops, and occasionally tool manufacturers.  This person or people will be responsible for distribution of equipment in safe working condition during the build and arranges for owners to pick up their tools in “check-in” condition at the end of the project.

Food:  This coordinator secures donations from local restaurants and caterers, organizations, etc. to feed volunteers during construction. Play by Design provides an outline that includes the suggested number of meals to provide per shift each day of Build Week.

Materials:   Ideally, this is someone who is willing to dig in with a creative approach and willingness to seek material donations regardless of the value of the items (not necessarily a person in the trades or even familiar with materials). The success of this individual’s efforts will have a direct impact on the project budget. Lesser-value items will increase the network and base of support throughout the community. This person or team will also need to develop a budget and purchase materials based on Play by Design's specifications two months before the build. If you consider shopping a competitive sport or love to bargain hunt, this may be for you! 

Childcare:   Creates a structured program to provide supervision of children while parents are working on the playground site. Typically, this is a team of individuals, and experienced childcare providers are very helpful.

Design and Special Needs:   This person, who may be the parent of a special-needs child, gathers input on the community’s accessibility needs if any.  Also in charge of gathering the artists in town to be available for the build.

1 Week Until Design Day

DESIGN DAY IS ALMOST HERE! ONE WEEK TO GO.... 

A designer from Play by Design, a company that helps communities build their own playgrounds, will be in Topanga  on Thursday, September 13 to meet with students from Topanga Elementary to discuss playground concepts. That evening at 7pm, the ideas submitted to the designers from school, via email (topangaplayground@gmail.com) or brought to Topanga Art Imaginarium will come to life in the plan for the new playground. If your child would like to start thinking about their playground ideas and submitting a drawing now, please pick up a design sheet from the Topanga Art Imaginarium or the green tent at the farmers' market on FRIDAY.  They do not need to attend Topanga Elementary in order to participate. Kids of all ages are welcome to submit their designs! 

Meet The Designer!

Meet our playground designer: Lisa DeShano
Adult Stats: 
Lisa has a degree in Architecture from the University of Michigan. 
She has been a designer and project manager for Play by Design and working with children and communities for more than 6 years.
This summer, Lisa taught math to 3-9 year olds in Tanzania for three weeks. 

Kid Stats: 
Lisa has a 9 year old stepson she likes to talk to about her playground designs. 
When she isn't designing playgrounds, she likes to play soccer. She has played soccer since she was 4 years old. She also races bicycles and teaches yoga and Pilates. 
Lisa loves being outdoors and fishing with her dad. 

We are excited to have Lisa come to Topanga next month to help us design our new playground. Come meet Lisa at the TCC and volunteer to help build the new playground at the design unveiling on September 13 at 7pm! 

Playground Design Day is September 13

SUPPORT THE TOPANGA COMMUNITY CLUB & TOPANGA'S ONLY PLAYGROUND!

The children of Topanga deserve a safe and stimulating place to play.  Since the Topanga Co-Op Preschool went dormant a few years ago, the TCC playground has been in a state of disrepair and it is no longer meeting the needs of the community... much less any current safety code standards.  This summer, the TCC board voted to bring in a professional playground design team, PLAY BY DESIGN, to help our community build a playground that is as unique as Topanga! 

The playground architect will be meeting with children at Topanga Elementary on September 13 to hear their ideas and get their input. She will then design the playground back at the TCC and it will be unveiled that evening at the TCC at 7pm. 

It would be wonderful to get the backing and support of the greater Topanga community for this project. The night of the 13th will mark the kick-off for fundraising and recruiting for volunteers to build the playground in the spring. We are hoping to raise between $50,000 and $75,000 and build the new playground sometime in March or April. 

We hope you'll make time to attend. We are hoping to attract a hundred Topanga families to the Design Day unveiling next month at the TCC at 7pm. Families are welcome and or course, children are encouraged to come! 

If you are interested in volunteering or have additional questions, please email: topangaplayground@gmail.com