Eastside Connections School put out a call for help and the community responded in a big way.

More than 300 volunteers helped with renovations to the second floor of the building during Comcast Cares Day Saturday at the Niles magnet school.

Cable service provider Comcast chose to do work at Eastside for its annual day of volunteering.

Volunteers from all over the community scraped walls, sanded, brushed and cleaned for four hours.

Greg O’Toole, volunteer and Niles school board member, said he was impressed.

“I am absolutely amazed with the level of progress achieved by the Comcast volunteers and the volunteers from within our district.”
District Supt. Richard Weigel said he was thankful.

“This is a difficult time for us in education due to the funding cuts we have had from Lansing.

Yet when the community comes together for the sake of the children, we can do incredible things,” he said.

Weigel said many of the volunteers were parents who send their children to Eastside school, where the second floor will be opened next year to a sixth-grade classroom.

The second floor already has one room — where Lake Michigan College hosts their Lego Robotics Lab — completed.

Comcast is continuing support with additional supplies and paint so the work on the second floor can continue, Weigel said.