"Bugg Den" Playground Project
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The Wake County Bar Association has a proud tradition of dedicating itself to public service. Each year hundreds of Wake County lawyers participate in public service projects sponsored by the WCBA. In 2000 alone, over 300 WCBA lawyers participated in public service projects sponsored by the WCBA public service committee. More than 600 Wake County lawyers donated legal services to the County's Volunteer Lawyer Program. Countless others lawyers quietly participate in volunteer and public service activities outside of the WCBA and donate their time, services and resources to the betterment of the community.
In 2000, the public service tradition of the Wake County legal community was recognized by three prestigious awards received by the WCBA - the North Carolina Bar Association's Chief Justice Award, the Governor's Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service, and the Wake County Volunteer Award.
The following projects are examples of the public service projects undertaken by the WCBA.
BUGG DEN
The Bugg Den was a 1994-95 Wake County Bar Public Service Project in a cooperative effort with the Bugg Elementary School PTA, the Wake County Public Schools and the Wake County Department of Parks and Recreation. The Bugg Den (appropriately named by the school children) is a modern, up-to-date playground located at Bugg Elementary School on Cooper Road in east Raleigh, North Carolina.
The playground is specially designed to be accessible to the high percentage of learning disabled and handicapped children at the school.
The playground was purchased and installed through funds raised and manual labor provided by the WCBA in addition to a grant (up to $24,000 in matching funds) from the Wake County Department of Parks & Recreation. Within several months the WCBA goal of $24,000 was reached. In addition, a generous contribution of $10,000 was added to this, along with approximately $1,000 raised from the students at Bugg Elementary through their "pennies for the Bugg Den" fund raising effort. These funds, along with the $24,000 from the Wake County Parks & Recreation Department raised the total in excess of $65,000. The Bar was able to construct one of the finest public school playground facilities in Wake County. Members of the Bar had hands-on involvement with the landscaping, shoveling of sand and readying of the site for use by the children. The playground was open in March 1995 and the official dedication occurred on April 29, 1995.
The WCBA has received public recognition and numerous awards for the project including an ABA award and the Wake County PTA Council's Outstanding Business and Community Service Award for the outstanding contribution to a school by a business or service group. More important than awards, the project offered the Bar an opportunity to give back to the children of our community.
Numerous letters were received from the children at Bugg Elementary; one child wrote, "Y'all are so nice that we don't know how to thank you. We are so happy that we can do cartwheels all the way down the street. I am having a hard time trying to think how to thank you." Artwork from the children is proudly displayed in the WCBA office.
The members of the WCBA gave of their time and money freely and the Bugg Den has become a source of pride for all members of the Association. We hope it will be an example and source of inspiration for others in our community.