Tent team: It doesn't take a village, but it does take a team to raise the tent now providing shade for students at Navigator Elementary School. Answering a shout-out for volunteers Saturday morning were (front, left to right) student Chris Regan, Larry Ladd, Lee Frechette and Joe Galipeau; (back, left to right) Cody Budge, John McCants, Ed Regan, Conrade Mayer and Cal Schell. Photo by Shelly Blanchard

Big tent is a shady deal for students The fireworks have long since been silenced and the Rancho Cordova Fourth of July celebration has been wrapped up for another year. But the Fourth of July continues at Rancho Cordova's newest school - in a way. Each year the Rancho Cordova Fourth of July Committee uses a portion of the celebration to purchase what they call a "community asset." Last year, that was the acquisition of a large tent. Since that time, the tent has seen action as the covering for the Halloween Haunted House in Hagan Park, provided coverage at the California Capital Airshow at Mather, and sheltered the pony rides at this year's Fourth of July festival. This week, the tent went back to school. With nary a tree in sight at Navigator Elementary School, administrators wondered where youngsters could go to duck out of the sun during recess. Out came the Fourth of July Committee's "community asset." A group of volunteers turned out bright and early Saturday morning to set it up and at last report, the tent was casting a shadow that reached all the way back to the Fourth of July. "Our Fourth of July celebration gives to the Rancho Cordova community all year long," said committee chairman David Sander, who is also vice mayor of Rancho Cordova. "Sometimes it is just more obvious than others."