International Center playground underway
Published 9:06 pm Saturday, November 16, 2024
International Center of Kentucky Executive Director Albert Mbanfu sports a Lowe’s hat and red vest as the two organizations join together on Red Vest Day to renovate the Center’s playground with fresh mulch and new playground equipment on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, through a recent 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000. The playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30, will include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Local Lowe’s staff member Terry Minton volunteers with a handful of his coworkers to help International Center employees lay and spread dozens of bags of rubber mulch in the Center’s playground before installing new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
(From left) Local Lowe’s staff members Adam Harrell, Terry Minton and Eric Johnson work to install the base of a new basketball hoop as they volunteer to assist a group of International Center employees in renovating the playground with fresh rubber mulch and new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
International Center employee Alina Kruhlii helps lay and spread dozens of bags of rubber mulch in the Center’s playground alongside her coworkers and a group of local Lowe’s staff members before installing new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Bowling Green Lowe’s Assistant Store Manager Steven Wilson (center) stands with International Center of Kentucky Executive Director Albert Mbanfu (right) on Red Vest Day as the two organizations join together to renovate the Center’s playground with fresh mulch and new playground equipment on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, through a recent 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000. The playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30, will include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
International Center employees help a group of local Lowes store staff in prepping the Center’s playground for the laying and spreading of rubber mulch for new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
International Center employees help a group of local Lowes store staff in prepping the Center’s playground for the laying and spreading of rubber mulch for new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
International Center employees help a group of local Lowes store staff in prepping the Center’s playground for the laying and spreading of rubber mulch for new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
International Center employees help a group of local Lowes store staff in prepping the Center’s playground for the laying and spreading of rubber mulch for new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
International Center employees help a group of local Lowes store staff in prepping the Center’s playground for the laying and spreading of rubber mulch for new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Lowe’s staff members Eric Johnson (middle right) and Brandon Wolfe (middle left) begin laying lining for new mulch in the International Center’s playground before installing new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
International Center of Kentucky Executive Director Albert Mbanfu helps his employees and a group of local Lowe’s store staff lay and spread dozens of bags of rubber mulch in the Center’s playground before installing new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
International Center employees help a group of local Lowe’s store staff lay and spread dozens of bags of rubber mulch in the Center’s playground before installing new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
International Center employees help a group of local Lowe’s store staff lay and spread dozens of bags of rubber mulch in the Center’s playground before installing new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
International Center employees help a group of local Lowe’s store staff lay and spread dozens of bags of rubber mulch in the Center’s playground before installing new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
International Center employees help a group of local Lowe’s store staff lay and spread dozens of bags of rubber mulch in the Center’s playground before installing new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
International Center employees help a group of local Lowe’s store staff lay and spread dozens of bags of rubber mulch in the Center’s playground before installing new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
International Center employees help a group of local Lowe’s store staff lay and spread dozens of bags of rubber mulch in the Center’s playground before installing new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
(From left) Local Lowe’s staff members Adam Harrell, Terry Minton and Eric Johnson work to install the base of a new basketball hoop as they volunteer to assist a group of International Center employees in renovating the playground with fresh rubber mulch and new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
(From left) Local Lowe’s staff members Adam Harrell, Brandon Wolfe, Eric Johnson and Terry Minton work to install rebar for a new basketball hoop as they volunteer to assist a group of International Center employees in renovating the playground with fresh rubber mulch and new playground equipment on Red Vest Day, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. The Center recently received a 2024 Lowe’s Hometowns grant of $71,000 to renovate the playground, which is expected to be completed by November 30 and include a new basketball hoop, musical melody sets, swings, a see-saw and more. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Workers have begun building a small playground at the International Center of Kentucky, Bowling Green’s resettlement agency – an area expected to serve more than 400 refugee children.
On Thursday morning, five employees from the local Lowe’s Home Improvement and 23 from the International Center set mulch in a small space behind the center offices, laying the foundation for numerous features to come. Lowe’s Assistant Store Manager Steven Wilson said employees will install a basketball goal, and other aspects of the playground are being planned.
Wilson said he’s planning a playground “nice and neat, clean, safe for the immigrants that do live here – something inviting for the community and playful, a family atmosphere.” It’s one of 100 community projects this year funded by a grant from the Lowe’s Hometowns program, a three-year, $100 million commitment made by the company in 2022.
The International Center purchased a slide mountain playground structure, lilypad cymbals, a merry-go-round, arch swings, monkeybars, a seesaw and a static play vehicle, according to International Center Chief Financial Officer Cathy Palmer.
“By having a modern playground like this, it is helpful for them to acclimate themselves with what they will experience when they go to school, because these are the same kinds of equipment they will find in school during recess and recreation,” International Center Executive Director Albert Mbanfu said.
“By that time, they will be used to that since they’ve already enjoyed that at the International Center.”
It’ll serve refugees Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mbanfu said. It’ll be open to the public outside those hours; parents will need to take responsibility for their children, as there won’t be someone to supervise them, Mbanfu added.
Palmer said the International Center aims to finish by Nov. 31, and Mbanfu said the playground should be completed before January.
Wilson, a father of two, expressed care for children at the center.
“To give back, like how we are today, and to show them that we care, and they’re invited to the community – this is a really big deal to us,” he said.
