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Students raise funds for tables at Andrews

The Andrews Elementary Student Council raised money last year to buy new wooden picnic tables for the school’s courtyard.
The Andrews Elementary Student Council raised money last year to buy new wooden picnic tables for the school’s courtyard. Photo by Jessica Williams.

The 2009-2010 Andrews Elementary Student Council raised $1,275 last year to purchase three wooden picnic tables for the school's courtyard, and two are already in place this year for teachers and students alike to enjoy.

The council sold concessions at home basketball games, held Easter candy sales and helped serve food during last year's alumni banquet, says Principal Gary Mast.

Originally there were two large logs outside that students could sit on, but there was no writing surface, Mast explains. They were going to reuse the wood but it was so rotted and old that the logs had to be cut up and removed from the courtyard, with the help of Dave and Paula Burke - the latter is an Andrews secretary - and Todd Little; all of which do not have children at Andrews, Mast notes.

Dave Burke has a lumber mill and he provided the wood to John Heiney, who made the tables.

Mast recalls his uncertainty that three tables would fit in the courtyard, but after moving in the first two, they determined a third would indeed fit and it's currently being made by Heiney.

Each table was about $450 and fits eight to 10 students, Mast adds.

Cade Reust, J.J. Whicker, Ethan Shafer and Kaitlyn La Mar are current fifth-graders at Andrews and were on Student Council last year. All say they are excited to get outside and make use of the tables.

Mast says teachers can hold class or enjoy lunch with their class outdoors.

Complete caption: The Andrews Elementary Student Council raised money last year to buy new wooden picnic tables for the school’s courtyard. Fifth-grade students and members of last year’s student council include (from left) Cade Reust, J.J. Whicker, Ethan Shafer and Kaitlyn La Mar.