Whether handing out donuts at a school breakfast or trading lawn-care tips during recess duty, the Wesley Prep Dad’s Club is more than just a group of guys with elementary and middle school kids — it’s a hub for fellowship and purpose.
Under the leadership of co-chairs John Barber and Franklin Matute, this year’s Annual Playground Clean-Up was a perfect blend of elbow grease, power tools, and community spirit.
It was no surprise to the Wesley Prep teachers, who were ushering in students at carpool drop-off, that the early call time didn’t scare off any parent volunteers. In fact, they came in with coffee in hand, sleeves rolled up, and a determination to out-rake their fellow dads.
The dad tools included everything short of a backhoe: rakes, shovels, leaf blowers, and a wheelbarrow that had clearly seen some lawn duty before being turned loose on the Wesley Prep playground.
What started as a humble clean-up became something of a mini festival of service. The day was filled with the satisfying sounds of leaves getting blasted into oblivion, mulch being dumped, and — perhaps most entertaining — dads trying to operate lawn tools like they were precision instruments.
The ever-popular winder slide was cleaned up and refreshed, the grassy area used for soccer practice got a much-needed makeover, and the climbing equipment was restored to its original colors.
But the real magic came from the teamwork. During their lunch hour, many students joined their dads to distribute mulch, and staff members grabbed rakes to lend a hand. A few moms stopped by with refreshments.
At day’s end, the dedicated dads were sweaty, dirty, and tired. But each was satisfied with the results.
The Wesley Prep Dad’s Club knows how to combine hard work with heart, conveying — with every shovel of mulch and sweep of a rake — the message that the school is a big deal to them.
“The Annual Playground Clean-up was a great event,” said Matute. “And it was meaningful to me because I was able to support the school alongside my son, Hudson. We worked hard together and were able to see the fruits of our labor.”
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