GREAT FALLS — West Elementary has a brand new playground — and the story behind it is as meaningful as the equipment itself.
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Roger Duncan and Pam Nommensen donated $217,614 to build the playground in memory of Roger's sister, Shirley Duncan. The gift came as a surprise to West Elementary Principal Lacee Lewis, who received the news in a call from GFPS Executive Director Jackie Mainwaring last fall.
"And she said, ' You are not going to believe it. We have a donor that would like to purchase a segment of the playground," Lewis recalled.
Before a single piece of equipment was ordered, the donors wanted to know what the students actually wanted. Lewis sent out a Google form, and teachers held class meetings to find out. The top requests from students were swings, a merry-go-round, and slides — and that is exactly what they got.
The playground will soon carry a permanent tribute to the woman whose memory made it possible.
"And so here in the near future, we're going to place a sign over there that'll say Shirley's Playground," Lewis said.
The 350 students at West Elementary are already putting the new playground to good use during the first week of school — and Lewis says the reaction has been unanimous.
"The kids are ecstatic," she said.
The swings are still being hooked up — but students have been enjoying every other feature since school began. Once complete, Shirley's Playground will serve West Elementary students for generations to come.
