From left: Home Depot volunteers Roger Marshall and Joanne Gibson, Event Coordinator Cordelia Trevino, Round Rock ISD Maintenance Supervisor Tom Chavez, and Home Depot volunteers Christopher Bohlman and Lisa Newton help beautify Grisham Middle School. From left: Home Depot volunteers Roger Marshall and Joanne Gibson, Event Coordinator Cordelia Trevino, Round Rock ISD Maintenance Supervisor Tom Chavez, and Home Depot volunteers Christopher Bohlman and Lisa Newton help beautify Grisham Middle School.[/caption]

Passersby might notice a few changes to Grisham Middle School after June 1. Volunteers from local businesses added landscaping, benches and a pergola to the Round Rock ISD school in Anderson Mill.

“This tiny little school didn’t have any places for the kids to sit or stand,” said Cordelia Trevino, an employee at T.J. Maxx in Cedar Park who coordinated the beautification event.

She said after driving by the school several times, she brought the idea of improving its exterior to her manager, Linda Kraemer, who gave Trevino the go-ahead.

Kraemer said T.J. Maxx asks employees to do about 10 hours of community service each month. In the past the Cedar Park store has sponsored local families for Thanksgiving, she said.

Trevino contacted other local businesses to see who else would be willing to help. Chili's at Lakeline Mall, Dairy Queen on RM 620, Banyan Tree Dental on RM 620 and Lakeline Vision Source on El Salido Parkway all agreed to donate, she said.

Daniel Corbell, manager of the Home Depot on Howard Lane, said about a dozen Home Depot employees volunteered. Corbell said employees regularly volunteer for veterans organizations and other local charity events.

“If we can impact the community in any way, that’s what we try to do,” he said.

Home Depot employees helped install 10 new concrete benches and pavers to the school’s front entrance, side grounds, and track and field area as well as a steel pergola. All benches will include the name of the company or family donating, Trevino said.

Other volunteers planted perennials and shrubs suited for the Central Texas climate, she added. Many of the plants were anonymous donations from local nurseries, she said.

Tom Chavez, Round Rock ISD maintenance supervisor, said the school district donated funds to add decomposed granite to the front of the school where there previously was only mud and roots.

Rudy’s BBQ and H-E-B donated breakfast and lunch for the volunteers, who Trevino said would work through the day to finish the job.

“Everything’s going to be done today,” she said.