Fundraising efforts are underway for a new playground at Center Woods Elementary School.

Center Woods Principal Jude Chauvette said the goal is to raise $80,000 for new equipment and resurfacing.

“There’s a few pieces on the playground that we would retain,” Chauvette said. For example, the swing structure will stay, but the swings and chains will be replaced, including adding a handicap-accessible swing.

“The whole playground will be handicap accessible,” he said.

The rest of the playground simply needs updating. Chauvette said that while none of the original playground equipment is still there from when the school was built in 1991, he estimated some of the equipment is between 15 to 16 years old.

The money will come from several different avenues, including applying for grants and good old-fashioned fundraising.

Chauvette said the Weare School Board has pledged $20,000 from the Fields and Playgrounds Expendable Trust. The school has also applied for a federal grant and a $5,000 grant from Lowe’s community program.

As for community involvement, Weare Friends PTO organized a calendar fundrasier. Center Woods students are selling the calendars for $10 each, and there are 30 chances to win a total of $1,150 in prize money.

This voluntary fundraiser will run through March 27, and drawings start in April.

Next up will be the school’s annual community service project, with proceeds to benefit the playground fundraising.

“In May, the children will have a raffle,” Chauvette said. “Not a cash raffle – we’ve actually solicited prizes from businesses in the area.”

The grand prize will be a weekend getaway at the Balsams Resort, donated by Grappone Auto Group.

Chauvette said smaller prizes include ski passes to Pats Peak, tickets for Santa’s Village and StoryLand, a portable DVD player, a bird feeder, restaurant gift cards and more.

“The first weekend in June, we’ll have a Family Fun Day with fun activities like a climbing wall, bounce tent and do drawings for the raffle prizes,” Chauvette said.

The other treat for Center Woods students on the June 6 fun day will be cashing in their reward for the community service project – putting Chauvette in a dunk tank.

Every year students pick a reward for the community service project through the annual Kids’ Vote.

Chauvette said one year the school raised money for diabetes research, and the students voted to have him kiss a pig if they reached their fundraising goal.

Other service projects have included Jump Rope for Heart, Pennies for Patients and Heifer International.

Chauvette said the actual construction time for putting in the new playground will depend on when they get they funding in place. The building will most likely be done in phases.

If they have enough money available, Chauvette said some of the equipment could be purchased by July 1 and the first construction phase would be done in the summertime.

Once the first phase is done and students and parents can see the changes, Chauvette said hopefully that will help build motivation for the rest of the fundraising and construction. Parents might even get to help with the finishing touches.

“We’ll have a weekend build,” he said. “We’ll invite the community to come in and help assemble it.”