Members of the Shoals Seventh Day Adventist Church said they discovered a disturbing and disappointing scene during the weekend.

The playground behind the church was vandalized.

Concrete picnic tables were overturned, sections of white fencing surrounding the playground were torn off and left in pieces and a porch swing and some infant swings were ripped from their stations and tossed to the ground. A climbing area and play set had various types of damage and destruction.

Church member Fred Mauldin was the first to find the damage when he arrived about 7:30 a.m.

Saturday to open the church.

“They just destroyed it,” Mauldin said. “It must have been done by somebody who doesn’t like children, because this playground is for children. This is a community playground. We invite anyone to use it.”

Church officials notified Florence police, who investigated the scene Saturday morning. Mauldin said the damage appears to be into the thousands of dollars.

Florence police detective Sgt. Cliff Billingsley said criminal mischief is a misdemeanor, but becomes a felony when damage is estimated at $2,500 or more.

Mauldin said this isn’t the first time the church has experienced vandalism. He said some fence sections on the church property have been damaged in the past. He said a plaque dedicating the playground to deceased church member Elmer Sanderson is been missing.

“They threw away the plaque,” Mauldin said. “Elmer Sanderson was really good with children and would take them on trips, so we named it after him.”

He said some church members were at the building Friday afternoon, so the vandals must have shown up after then.

In the past, the church has dealt with issues stemming from people going behind the building to drink and cause problems because it was in an isolated location, Mauldin said. He said that problem seems to be decreasing as the area around the church continues to be developed.

“Some apartments are being built across the road, so that will help us out, because the residents will be able to see if something is going on,” Mauldin said.

He said Shoals Seventh Day Adventist congregation members have a message for the vandals.

“We want the ones who are responsible for this to know that we forgive them for doing it,” Mauldin said.

Bernie Delinski can be reached at 256-740-5739 or bernie.delinski@TimesDaily.com.