Susannah Zimmermann, PTA parent at McDougle Middle School, said she had never tried anything like it - seeking a major gift from an unaffiliated business. But when she contacted Sands Landscape Management about supporting an overhaul of the school’s grounds, she struck gold. Mike Sands replied that he could offer 80-90 yards of mulch, plus machinery and manpower. “I reached out to them blindly via email and they said YES...which makes this donation even more generous!” Zimmermann said. “They have no link to McDougle Middle School - no kids there, they don’t live in Chapel Hill. They said they were motivated to donate ‘because we asked.’ Amazing!”Once the PTA planning team knew they would be receiving the mulch and physical assistance, they scheduled Beautification Day for April 7, a day which turned out cold and rainy. The rescheduled day on Saturday, April 14, was sunny and warm, and more than 70 people worked on the landscaping tasks from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. The school received a true makeover! Sands and a colleague brought over a Bobcat and other machinery, and the parent and community volunteers arrived with armloads of rakes and shovels.
Sands said they were happy to make McDougle a “better place for kids to learn. I feel like the day was a big success after seeing everyone work as a team and with such great attitudes. We had a big turnout thanks to the PTA and students!”
In addition to parents and staff, “landscapers” included Cub Scout Pack 825 and their families, as well as the McDougle Middle School Boys Lacrosse team and their families. A group from the National Junior Honor Society also pitched in, some for almost the entire day. Madi Lin, an 8th grade student, said, “As part of our school's NJHS chapter, I was very happy to help beautify our school. I feel our school is now a much more enjoyable learning environment for everyone.”
Zimmermann said it was “an amazing day full of hard work and a beautiful sense of community.” She expressed gratitude that their administration was so supportive, and helped the PTA spread the word about the event.
