Fundraising, which included major donations and discounts from local businesses, have led to an asphalt track at Columbia Elementary School in Woodland

Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com

An idea turned into a project, with a few small steps in hopes of leading to the larger goal.

Now, the community around Columbia Elementary School in Woodland can take a lot of steps on a new walking track.

The Woodland Parent Teacher Student Association, working with local businesses and donors from throughout the area, raised funds, and a local company gave quite the discount in order to complete the project. There was a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this week.

“It’s perfect for an elementary school,” said Kellie Tooley, a board member of the PTSA, referring to the long, thin asphalt oval.

Katie Murdock, who had been a board member for years, was key to starting the project, Tooley said. Murdock raised the money to install a gravel walking track, with hopes of improving the track when funds became available.

Last school year, Tooley took over the main fundraising duties. Eight companies would end up donating $1,000 or more, and the PTSA raised close to $4,000 during Woodland’s famous Planters Days festival in June.

The gravel track was a huge improvement over no track, but in order for the track to be up to ADA standards, it needed an upgrade. Asphalt, though, costs money. Estimates were more than $25,000.

Tooley was discussing the needs of the PTSA project at a Port of Woodland meeting when a representative of Granite Construction handed her a business card. That was the beginning of a relationship that would bring home this project.

Granite Construction made it an asphalt track, took the money that PTSA had already raised, and then waived the remainder of the cost, Tooley said. The PTSA got the project at about a 50 percent discount.

Other major donors included: Perlo Construction, the Bjur family, Burris Creek Mini Storage, the Colf Family Foundation. Ryan’s Excavating and Trucking, and the Rychel family donated time to the cause, as well.

“Now our Columbia Elementary has a fully functional asphalt track that is loved,” Tooley said.

She added that the school’s principal, David Starkey, reports that the track gets so many laps every day from children in P.E. classes and at recess.

Also, community members have been seen using the track.

“It really took everyone from across the town,” Tooley said. “It ended up being such an amazing project.”