Monclova Youth Thankful For Parent Club Donation
BY KAREN BERGER— MIRROR REPORTER
Addison Williams likes the monkey bars.
Jacob Abodeely likes the new slide because it doesn’t have a roof to slow him down.
Erin Scott and Ryleigh Williams like the yellow spinner.
“The blue spinny thing makes you dizzy,” said Mackenzie Abodeely.
“When I first went on it, I fell off,” Jacob said.
During the first month of school, Monclova Primary students have found even more ways to let out pent-up energy during recess, now that new playground equipment and a larger blacktop area have been installed.
“It’s nice to have new blacktop,” said Courtney Thompson. “Now we can jump rope and not be in the dirt. The boys are always out there doing football, basketball and soccer.”
Funds for the $20,000 in playground equipment and $15,000 toward the blacktop addition were donated by Monclova Area Parents, or MAPS.
Cookie dough sales, redeeming used Capri Sun pouches for 2 cents and a walk-athon generated the funds, explained MAPS president Amy Abodeely.
Volunteers Jason Abodeely, Cory Williams, Brian Scott, Jim Toska, Alvin Thompson, Julie Vanasdale, Chad Zajkowski and Ben Swift assembled the playground with operations director Matt Dick, saving the school $6,000 in labor.
“They were just given a list of tools to bring,” Amy said.
With 150 to 300 kids on the playground at one time, having a larger blacktop area was becoming almost essential, said Monclova principal Bethany Swift. In the spring and fall, the grass gets very muddy.
“When the kids are limited to playing only on the mulch and blacktop, it gets really crowded. Sometimes they bump into one another,” Swift said.
In addition to the extended blacktop, the fence now has an emergency access gate to Monclova Road.
MAPS funds are now depleted, so several fund-raisers are planned for the school year: a book fair, Donuts for Dads, Secret Santa and a Barnes and Noble book fair on December 1.
MAPS meets the second Tuesday of the month. Parent volunteers are always welcome, Amy said.

Jim Marshall Set To Retire From Public Works Department
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
When Jim Marshall was younger he remembers talking to older men who would reminisce about the way things used to be in Waterville.
“Now I’m one of those guys,” the 55-year-old said, smiling.
A longtime employee of the city’s public works department, Marshall will retire on October 28 after 31 years of service to the community.
“I’ve seen Waterville grow, but it’s a good thing and it will always have that small-town feel,” he said.
Marshall and Pam, his wife of 28 years, moved to Waterville 13 years ago. Their children Chelsie and Kyle attended Anthony Wayne High School, he said.
“I like that you can walk into a bank or into Kroger and they know you by name. That’s a neat feeling,” he said.
Marshall began working in Waterville on April 25, 1980 when he was hired as a part-time employee in the water department.
His supervisor, Dick Sears, liked the way he worked and after a few months offered him a full-time position.
“Everything I know I’ve learned working here,” he said.
While he worked in the water department, maintaining sewer lines and assisting residents with water problems, he also cut grass, poured concrete and laid asphalt for the streets department.
“We’re a small organization, so we pretty much learn to do everything at one time or another,” he said.
Upon his retirement, Marshall, who once took wedding photos, may pick up a camera again. He also plans to help a friend who works as an independent electrician.
“I’m going to lay low this winter. I don’t like the cold weather anymore,” he said.
He is also looking forward to enjoying his first grandson, as his son and daughter-in-law Kayla are expecting a baby in February.
“I’ll miss the customers and the people I work with. I’ve seen them have kids and then they grew up and had kids – and that’s what I’m going to miss,” he said.