An extreme makeover of the playful kind

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – For five consecutive years, the Toro Company, the Minnesota Vikings and KaBOOM! have teamed up to build new playgrounds for Twin Cities communities in need of a fun and safe outdoor play environment. This year was no different. On Friday, June 4, more than 250 volunteers from participating organizations and the community joined together to construct a new playground at Nellie Stone Johnson Community School in North Minneapolis during a one-day build event.

The playground features slides, a giant tire swing and many other student-inspired elements. The design was chosen based on input from the children, who drew their dream playgrounds for planners at a Design Day in March.

“For the community, this is a great event where local organizations partner with area residents to have a lasting impact on our youth,” says Judson McNeil, president of the Toro Foundation.

KaBOOM! is a non-profit organization that aims to improve play throughout America. They supply new and innovative playground equipment for disadvantaged areas. Toro contributed to half the cost of the playground, and many build-day supplies were donated by community businesses. Another valuable partner in the event was the YMCA Beacons program.

“This whole process started about two months ago with Toro and their direct interaction with the students on the planning day,” says Mark Bonine, principal at Nellie Stone Johnson Community School. “Toro was there every step of the way, and every employee showed how dedicated they were to community involvement. You could tell how excited they were to be there.”

The build day began with opening remarks at 8:30 a.m. followed by a quick stretch with Vikings cheerleaders. Then the build began with all volunteers working feverously until around noon when the Vikings players, coaches, and staff arrived to help put the finishing touches on the playground and interact with students.