Submitted photo Taking part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony were, from left, David ‘Coop’ Cooper (chief executive officer for Tucker Community Foundation), Pastor Randy Long, Melody Greenway (Pickens School secretary and custodian), Christine Long (Pickens School principal), Mark Allen (Pickens School counselor), Diane Betler (Pickens School LSIC chair), Delegate Jonathan Kyle, R-66th District, and Angela Kyle.

PICKENS — The Pickens K-12 School has hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of a new playground that was community funded and constructed.

During the past three years, parents, volunteers, businesses and local organizations came together to purchase and build the new playground. Those attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony were treated to refreshments and hors d’oeuvres.

Delegate Jonathan Kyle, R-66th District, and Tucker Community Foundation Chief Executive Officer David Cooper were among the special guests attending the ceremony.

The Tucker Community Foundation, Tygart Valley Lions Club, Mike Ross, the Snowshoe Foundation and the Randolph County Commission were among those who supported the project. The Randolph County Commission provided $25,000 toward the project last year.

“This playground is going to build dreams, spark imagination and foster friendships,” said project Co-Director Melody Greenway, who also serves as secretary and custodian at Pickens School. “We are so thankful for every donation, supporter and volunteer who made this dream a reality. This project embodies what a community is all about.”

“The new playground serves as a center for childhood play, community gatherings and most importantly hope,” a press release states. “With the school’s future in peril, residents took it upon themselves to invest in the children of the community.”

A public hearing for the closing of Pickens K-12 School has been scheduled for Oct. 14 at 5:30 p.m. in the EHS theater.

“If school closures in Randolph County must happen, we, the Pickens School Local School Improvement Council (LSIC), ask that it be done thoughtfully,” the press release states. “Prioritize underperforming schools that are geographically closer to existing facilities, not remote, high-performing hubs. Use community input, not top-down cuts…

“The playground is more than play structures and swings, it’s a declaration,” the release reads. “We believe in Pickens School. The Randolph County Board of Education has a chance to heed that message, protect Pickens School, and lead Randolph County into a future where rural schools are seen as assets, not liabilities.”