SCARBOROUGH — Desks, chairs and other remaining usable furniture from the old Wentworth Intermediate School will be shipped to schools in third-world countries following approval from the School Board last week.
The board on March 6 also gave updates on construction of the new Wentworth Intermediate School, and discussed potential tree donations for the space around the school.
The furniture will be picked up, packaged and shipped by Partners for World Health, a donation-based, volunteer nonprofit organization that sends new and gently used health-care materials to Africa, South America and Southeast Asia.
The group typically sends medical goods, but according to volunteer Bob Convery, it very rarely turns down donations of any kind. The main collection center is at 2112 Broadway in South Portland.
Much of the furniture from Wentworth is more than 20 years old.
“Our children and students should know that these items aren’t going into the junk heap,” School Board member Jackie Perry said. “They may have outlived their usefulness for our children, and our children are extremely fortunate.”
The donation passed 6-0, with Donna Beeley absent.
More details on the donation from Wentworth are likely come after March 25, when most of Partners for World Health’s leaders return from a mission trip to Bangladesh.
Wentworth trees
Perry also announced that Andy Cusack, owner of Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, is interested in partnering Wentworth with a NASCAR program that could donate 50-70 mature trees for the grounds around the new building.
The new school’s architect, Dan Cecil, is already in talks with Cusack to coordinate the potential donation and set up meetings with the building committee to talk about next steps.
Established in 2009, the NASCAR Green Clean Air Program donates trees to offset the organization’s fuel emissions.
“Everybody keep your fingers crossed,” Perry said.
In related business, School Board Chairwoman Christine Massengil confirmed that 90 percent of the second floor of the new school is complete, 95 percent of all flooring is complete, and all doors are hung and locked.
The focus of construction will be on spring and summer, with demolition and site work completion on the horizon, she said.
Shelby Carignan can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 106 or scarignan@theforecaster.net. Follower her on Twitter: @shelbycarignan.
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