As Tri-Town residents bask in the shine of the new areas of Lake Central High School, some folks took the time to pull some bones from the “elephant graveyard” of bricks and construction debris to create lasting memories for students, parents and alumni — and raise a few bucks.
Teacher Paul Volk and his Advanced 3-D Arts students are crafting 10-inch circular art pieces from the remains of the old gym floor. They are painting them to look like sport balls in tribute to the basketball and volleyball players who ran the floor over the years.
Large panels of the floor have been cut up and are stacked in his classroom. Volk — who is all about recycling and reusing — said he thinks he’ll be able to get about 200 pieces out of the salvaged flooring.
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“The (gym floor art) project was approved for fundraising for Dollars for Scholars,” Volk said. He will sell the pieces for $50 each. The pieces will come equipped to hang, but they are heavy, he said. Buyers have the option of purchasing an easel to hold the piece for an additional $25. The easels will be fabricated by Terry Richardson’s Vocational Machine Shop class.
Dollars for Scholars will receive 75 percent of every sale. The remainder will be used to pay for a second kiln for Volk’s classroom.
“We want to raise money for a $3,000 kiln,” Volk said. “Fusing glass is popular, but the kiln on hand fuses only four of the larger projects at a time.”
The project is just underway and so far only 32 have been crafted with more than half sold. Volk sold 15 pieces through advance sales and another six at the Bump Out Cancer event on Sept. 29. He has verbal commitments for another three pieces.
“When I have free time, I do the cutting. A lot of the Advanced 3D students asked how they can help. A few of the kids are doing the sanding and the graphic work,” Volk said.
Students offer their assistance when their class projects are completed or in the kiln, he said.
“We are so ready to help,” said Ellie Keith, a junior. “We sand them down and seal them up and paint the lines.”
Not all of the floor will be used for Volk’s project. Some of the iconic areas of the floor, the center court logo and some letters from the sidelines, were removed and will be cut up and saved for another fundraiser on behalf of the athletic boosters to take place in the spring, according to Superintendent Larry Veracco.
Principal Sean Begley notes the interest from alumni and teachers in having a piece of the old school. Some folks want a salvaged brick and others a piece of the old gym floor. For his part, he’s glad they are making use of it.
“It’s a good memento,” said Begley.
Nancy Coltun Webster is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.