VanGo Buddy Benches for Pinckney Students

Hello! My name is Maren Bradley, and for the past year I had the pleasure of serving as Pinckney School’s last PTO President. We Pinckney Panthers were completely heartbroken when our school was closed this past spring. Our Panther community will be split between two new schools - Deerfield and Hillcrest - both of whom have risen to the occasion to welcome us with open arms.

Many Lawrencians are familiar with the wonderful Van Go murals that run throughout the Pinckney tunnel underneath 6th Street. I thought it would be a nice gesture to bring something familiar to our two new schools, so I have been working with Van Go student artists and representatives from each of our new schools to create a special buddy bench for each that will reside inside both Deerfield and Hillcrest, to serve as a reminder of where we came and as a guide to a successful transition.

The concept of a buddy bench is that whenever a child is feeling lonely, they have a seat on the buddy bench, and someone will come and spend time with them. These benches are being designed by two amazing Lawrence Public Schools high school students and will feature elements inspired by the Pinckney tunnel and by the three schools themselves.

Won’t you consider donating a small amount to help us reach our goal? Each bench costs $1500 to commission. I would like to raise the full $3000 necessary on this GoFundMe fundraiser if possible.

I’d also like to invite anyone who loves Pinckney, Deerfield, or Hillcrest Schools to the Bench Unveiling Ceremony at Van Go (715 New Jersey St) on July 28 at 5:30 p.m. to get a first look the benches in person! They will be a wonderful way to celebrate the legacy of Pinckney School and for those who took us Panthers in for years to come.

Thanks so much for your consideration and donation. We couldn’t do it without our wonderful community.

Maren Bradley

Pinckney PTO President 2022-23

Hillcrest PTO President-Elect 2023-24