Reed Elementary School and Waste Management hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 13 to commemorate playground equipment donations from Waste Management to Reed Elementary.

Sept. 20, 2024—Representatives from Waste Management visited students, parents and staff at Reed Elementary School on Sept. 13 to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the donation of new playground equipment items from Waste Management.

Waste Management has been in partnership with the Reed community for 20 years. The PTO at Reed propelled an initiative to add playground equipment to the campus playground and with the long-standing relationship between the campus and Waste Management, Waste Management took the opportunity to support the PTO’s vision.

Andrew Berry, district manager at Waste Management, expressed enthusiasm to see the joy that the playground items brought to students at Reed.

Fifth grade students at Reed Elementary School demonstrated a game of Gaga Ball for students, staff, PTO members and Waste management representatives during the ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating playground equipment donations on Sept. 13.

 “At Waste Management, we not only work to keep our neighborhoods clean and safe, but we also strive to ensure our communities are thriving,” Berry said. “That’s why we were proud to invest in upgrading the playground equipment at Reed Elementary. Seeing the joy it brought to the students was very rewarding and underscores our commitment to being a strong community partner.”

Jenna Armstrong Bridges, public affairs Sr. specialist at Waste Management, has worked closely with Reed PTO and administration to see continued growth in the partnership.

“Supporting our neighboring schools is not just an investment in education; it’s an investment in a sustainable future,” Armstrong Bridges said. “Waste Management is proud of our longstanding community partnership with Reed Elementary and we look forward to supporting future events and initiatives at the school.”

Karen Richardson, principal at Reed Elementary School, first row, left center, poses with Andrew Berry, district manager at Waste Management, second row, fourth from right; Lisa Doughty, director of public affairs at Waste Management, second row, fifth from right; Jenna Armstrong Bridges, public affairs Sr. specialist at Waste Management, second row, right center; and members of Reed PTO and staff.

 In conjunction with a Gaga Pit, Waste Management also donated spinning seats and new benches to the playground at Reed. Fifth grade students demonstrated a game of Gaga Ball for students, staff, PTO members and Waste Management representatives after the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Karen Richardson, Reed principal expressed appreciation to Waste Management for their continued support of Reed.

“We are deeply grateful for the combined generous donations from Waste Management and the Reed Elementary PTO towards our new playground equipment,” Richardson said. “The Gaga Pit and spinning seats are already a hit with our students. It is so wonderful to have great partners in the community like Waste Management who truly support our students.”

Waste Management hopes to continue the long-standing partnership of support for the Reed Elementary community, students and staff.