Knicely Done: Maddy's community contribution

Maddy Gordon of Carson, Iowa isn't especially handy with tools but as a Girl Scout she was confident she could spearhead a special project that would benefit her community.

"I knew the the third graders were being moved up to our school and they needed a playground," she said in an interview with WOWT 6 News. "It was hard but fun to gather the funds and organize it."

It was actually a two year project for Maddy and it came down to a weekend blitz to make it happen.

"Once the playground materials got here it was like a puzzle. I like to think simple with a positive mind set."

Maddy pulled together a team of about twenty five volunteers who showed up on a Saturday morning for a two day building blitz.

"Ninety-eight percent of it is fun," said Scott Thorson who traveled from Sioux Falls, South Dakota to supervise the work. "I'm supposedly retired and I used to do this full time. They needed supervision so I came."

Included in group of volunteers were Maddy's parents, fellow girl scouts, teachers and civil air patrol members.

"We're very happy with what's she's done to put all the work into this," said Carson school board member Jeff Buckingham, "We needed this and it's helping the school a lot."

The build went smoothly until rain clouds rolled in on Sunday.

"We managed to finish everything except the padded ground cover," said grade PK-5 Principal Jamie Meeks. "The plan is to finish it this weekend and kids will be playing on it Monday."

For Maddy it will be on to her next goal.

"I want to join the Air Force as soon as I can."

Knicely Done!