Published: February 27, 2008 11:13 pm      

SAAFE House to get new playground

As a volunteer at the SAAFE House, something weighed heavy on the heart of Nathan Lee.

The Sam Houston State University senior and president of the Phi Theta Kappa and Golden Key International Honor Societies witnessed first-hand the need for more outdoor activities for children staying at the shelter.

He visited The Home Depot seeking an estimate on how much would be needed to purchase a playground set, and to his surprise, the company stepped up the plate.

“Nathan came into the store and brought a picture off the Internet of the playground set that they were wanting,” Home Depot employee Chuck Liles said. “After conferring with my manager, I totally caught Nathan by surprise when I told him that he didn’t have to knock door-to-door to get money; we’re going to furnish the materials and labor for this project.”

Ruth Knight, shelter program director, got word of the company’s intentions and was astonished.

“We’re very excited,” Knight said Wednesday. “The children that live in our shelter have almost nothing to play with in the backyard. This is going to be astronomical for them. We can house up to 28 people, so you can imagine how big this is for them.”

SAAFE House is a non-profit agency that offers help to individuals who are escaping violence, such as domestic abuse, or individuals who have been sexually abused, Knight said.

“We provide counseling, legal advocacy, a 24-hour hotline and services to them, whether they live in the shelter or not.”

Janice Bryant, Kemah store manager and former assistant manager in Huntsville, outlined the involvement of the Home Depot within the community.

“As one of the retail merchants in the Huntsville area, we feel it is our duty to give back to the community that supports us,” Bryant said. “We are constantly looking for ways to make contributions to the community, and SAAFE House is obviously one of the endeavors within the community that provides a very important service, and we would like to be part of supporting that in any way we possibly can.”

Liles said the playground will be constructed Saturday, weather permitting.

“We’ll go out early and set the posts and quick-dry cement and go from there,” Liles said. “It should take six to eight hours, and if I need to, I’ll help finish it on my off-day on Sunday. The playground set will be 16 feet long to take care of more children. We’ll have a sheltered picnic table area where moms can sit out there with a little bit of shade. Then we’ll help prepare the ground for the basketball goal that the SAAFE House already has.”

The SAAFE House offers free and confidential services in Walker, Polk, San Jacinto and Trinity counties and the crisis line can be reached 24 hours a day at (936) 291-3369 or online at www.saafehouse.org.