KINGSPORT, Tenn. — Earlier this spring, 7-year-old Abigail and 6-year-old Brianna Coe were at the Jefferson Elementary School playground with their brother when they noticed something and then decided to do something about it.
“We were playing with Christian on the playground, and we noticed the chips in the paint,” said Abigail.
They started to brainstorm ways they could help.
“I said, ‘mommy can we start a fundraiser?' And, she said yes, so that’s how it started,” said Abigail.
Brianna said that they decided the playground needed a new coat of paint after seeing some rust.
With help from their mom, the girls started a GoFundMe webpage, asking members of the community to help them supply paint, mulch and money for equipment repairs.
But, the sisters didn't stop there. They also wanted to contribute. So, they sold candy bars and put together a yard sale. Best of all, they got a bonus donation from their dad, who agreed to be a human target.
"We've been dunking things on daddy like putting lipstick on him and putting slime on him,” says Brianna.
Once all was said and done, these two best friends raised $3,000 dollars.
Along with a fresh coat of paint, Abigail and Brianna were able to raise enough money to replace the old broken swings with new ones.
The girls agree that seeing the playground repainted is their favorite part of the project, but it's also special for them to give back to their school.
"When they see what we've done to the playground when a lot of kids go back to school, we wanted to make the kids have smiles on their faces when they come back,” says Abigail.
