Apr 15 2015
On April 22, kids in San Juan Capistrano, California will get a new, eco-friendly playground, thanks to Yokohama Tire Corporation (YTC) and its cause marketing partner, KaBOOM!. YTC and KaBOOM! - a national non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring all children get the balanced and active play they need - will be joined by Orange County California community groups Habitat for Humanity and NeighborWorks, along with approximately 200 local volunteers, to assist in the one-day build at Green Park.
Kids at Green Park in San Juan Capistrano, CA drew pictures to help design their new playground being built by Yokohama Tire and KaBOOM!
"This is our first build with KaBOOM! and we're excited to bring this local community a new playground, where the kids will have a fun, safe place to play," said Alan Holtschneider, director of marketing for Yokohama, which is based in nearby Santa Ana. "Green Park in San Juan Capistrano is ideal and we're pleased that the families there will benefit for years to come."
Yokohama, KaBOOM!, Habitat for Humanity of Orange County and NeighborWorks Orange County have already met with local parents and their children to help design the playground and pick out color schemes and equipment for the kids to play on.
"The kids were the 'playground design experts,'" Holtschneider said. "Many of their ideas and equipment choices made it into the final design, including a tire swing, which was the overwhelming favorite item to have."
Highlights of the playground build include a total renovation of Green Park. Brand-new environmentally safe, "Cradle to Cradle"-certified playground equipment from Playworld Systems will be installed.
"The Earth-friendly playground equipment was an important consideration for us," said Holtschneider. "Yokohama has always been an environmentally focused company, so to build a green playground for kids fits in with our corporate philosophy. And with the build happening on April 22 - Earth Day - it really makes the whole event a special occasion."
The old playground equipment from Green Park will be removed and completely refurbished by NeighborWorks, then sent to an orphanage in Baja, Mexico for children to play on.
Holtschneider said more builds will be announced in the future. YTC recently signed a three-year multichannel partnership with KaBOOM!, which is also the charity recipient of the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic in Prattville, Alabama. All proceeds from the annual tournament will fund future playground builds and help provide children with active play so they can grow into successful adults.