Gwinnett Daily Post

SUWANEE - About 100 volunteers visited Parsons Elementary on Tuesday to help beautify the school.

Parsons' PTA received a $5,000 grant from The Home Depot Foundation to revitalize the school's Peace Garden, repair playground equipment, replace playground mulch and build benches for an outdoor classroom.

"We're very thankful and excited for the upgrades and what it's going to do for our children," said Lori Nease, the PTA's co-president. "It will put some new life into the school, and it's a great opportunity for a community business and the school to partner together for the benefit of the children."

The grant was one of 30 awarded nationwide in honor of The Home Depot's 30th anniversary, said Amy Burch, a district human resources manager. More than 60 Home Depot employees worked as volunteers at the school Tuesday to complete the projects.

Dave Reeves, the manager of the Suwanee store, said giving back to the community is one of the company's initiatives. He said he was happy to partner with Parsons Elementary to make the students' day-to-day experiences better.

"It's a fantastic opportunity to get into the community and work with people who come into our stores every day," he said.