Country stars Rascal Flatts help build playground at Princeton school in West End

ANNE RUISI
Birmingham News
Oct. 16, 2008

They may not have listened to country music before Rascal Flatts chose their school as the site of a $40,000 deluxe playground, but now the children and staff at Princeton Alternative Elementary are their biggest fans.

On Wednesday, the Grammy Award-winning group spent the day at the West End school helping more than 150 volunteers from Home Depot and the community build a KaBoom! playground.

The country hitmakers - Jay DeMarcus, Gary LeVox and Joe Don Rooney - got their hands dirty by shoveling mulch, helping paint a mural and doing other tasks necessary to build the playground in one day. [Read more]

Volunteers put in Pine Lake Prep playground in one day

By Melinda Skutnick
Mooresville (N.C.) Tribune
Oct. 10, 2008

Afternoon raindrops didn't stop the nearly 200 volunteers from shoveling mulch, tightening bolts and putting the finishing touches on Pine Lake Prep's new playground – a school and community play space donated earlier this year by one of Mooresville's own.

PLP's "Build Day" – held Wednesday in partnership with Home Depot's "Team Depot" and the non-profit organization KaBOOM! – kicked off at 9 a.m. and brought together parents, students, school officials, KaBOOM! representatives, members of NASCAR teams and other volunteers to construct the blue, yellow and green playground; a long-awaited addition to the charter school's new campus.

"I think it's going to be awesome," said third grader Deirdre Taylor who caught a brief glimpse of the playground's construction Wednesday morning. [More]

See also:
Volunteers build new playground for Pine Lake Prep
Davidsonnews.net

The Home Depot and KaBOOM! celebrate 1,000th playspace

KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit organization whose vision is a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America, announces that The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, is its first partner to build or refurbish 1,000 playspaces. The Home Depot and KaBOOM! first committed to building 1,000 playspaces together in 2005.

“The Home Depot’s unprecedented participation in this initiative will enhance the physical, social and emotional well-being of children all over North America,” said Darell Hammond, CEO and Co-Founder, KaBOOM! "I am truly astounded by the impact this partnership has made on communities across the nation.”

The 1,000th build took place in Victory Park, in the City of Marietta, Ga. The playground, built in partnership with the City of Marietta Parks & Recreation and the Marietta Kiwanis, will provide a safe, fun environment for children from the community and three nearby schools.

As the founding partner of KaBOOM! since 1995, The Home Depot provides financial support, materials and hundreds of volunteers for play space projects across North America.

Read The Home Depot/KaBOOM! Yearbook

Each page of the Yearbook represents a celebration of the milestones, events and highlights of the 1,000 Playgrounds in 1,000 Days initiative and the true spirit of community. It is a visual salute to the numerous volunteers who have selflessly dedicated their time, skills and sweat equity to increase opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play for children all across North America.

Click on the image above to download. PDF file: 14MB