Cleveland, OH - Cudell Improvement (KOOL-AID), 8/08/08

East Cleveland, OH - Martin Luther King Civic Center (KOOL-AID), 8/09/08

Cleveland, OH - Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Olde Cedar Estate (KOOL-AID), 8/6/08

Woolmarket, MS - Woolmarket Community Center (MS Hurricane Recovery Fund, Gulf Coast Community), 7/26/08

Seattle, WA - Leschi Elementary (WaMu), 7/26/08

Omaha, NE - Omaha Schools (Chrysler), 7/17/08

Denver, CO - WE Play!, 8/6/08

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San Francisco, CA - McKinley Elementary (WaMu), 7/19/08

Pass Christian, MS - Marsha Barbour Community Center (Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund and Fannie Mae), 7/19/08

Plantation, FL - Fig Tree Park (Chrysler), 6/19/08

Sterling Heights, MI - Delia Park (Chrysler), 7/19/08

Los Angeles, CA - Salesian Boys and Girls Club Design Day (KOOL-AID), 7/24/08

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We've added some fun new photos to our photo gallery! Check them out!

Atlanta, GA - Whiteford Elementary School (Chrysler), 7/10/08
Indianapolis, IN - Save the Youth (The Home Depot), 7/10/08
WE Play! New Orleans - 7/25/08

Shreveport native is one of NBA's most giving
By Jason Pugh
Shreveport Times 
July 23, 2008

Ditto for his community service resume, something that will grow with respect to Shreveport in the next month.

Jamison, a Shreveport native and two-time NBA All-Star, was in Bossier City on Tuesday to announce the building of a KaBOOM playground on St. Charles Street in the Barksdale Annex neighborhood.

"I was in the All-Star Game this past year and we did a lot for the community of New Orleans," Jamison said. "The most important thing for me is giving back to kids. KaBOOM does a lot for the community and kids. I recall as a kid, just having the opportunity to have that one place where I could go and be a kid — just enjoy myself and play. I still have those memories. There's a lot of kids in dire need of that opportunity." [More]

Learn more about Antawn Jamison, All-Star Playmaker.

This just in...great photos from the Houston WE Play! July 10 and the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club build on July 11! Check them out!

Houston WE Play! sponsored by KOOL-AID

Houston, TX - Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club build (KOOL-AID), 7/11/2008

Did you participate in the WE Play! or the build? Chat about it on our Forums.

Ever wondered what a build day is like? Look no further than these photo galleries!

Minneapolis, MN - Seed Academy & Harvest Preparatory School (The Toro Company), 6/4/08
Birmingham, AL - Fountain Heights Community Development Corp. (Opus Corporation), 6/7/08
Arlington, VA - Harvey Hall Apartments/AHC, Inc. (Corporate Executive Board), 6/7/08
Dorchester, MA - City of Boston Parks & Recreation Department (Stop and Shop), 6/25/08

Hip-hop pioneer Joseph Simmons (a.k.a. Reverend Run), the new brand ambassador for the KOOL-AID KaBOOM! initiative, joined his family at a KaBOOM! playground build in Houston July 9.  

"I'm personally committed to bringing families together -- at the dinner table, in communities and on playgrounds," said Reverend Run. "I'm hopeful that by working together, KOOL-AID, KaBOOM!, and I can make a real difference in kids' lives by allowing them to have fun and create the memories that will serve them well for many years to come."

Photos of the build are now available!

Check out these great video interviews with Reverend Run about the project!

Reverend Run interview on Good Day New Mexico
July 3, 2008

Reverend Run and wife Justine interview on My Fox Houston
July 9, 2008

Video from the Houston Chronicle:

Learn more about the partnership between KOOL-AID and KaBOOM!

We've got lots of great new photos now available!

Brownsville, NY - Imagination Playground in a BOX Opening, 7/9/08
Houston, TX - Candlelight Oaks Civic Club (KOOL-AID), 7/9/08
Biloxi, MS - City of Biloxi (Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund), 6/28/08
Jacksonville, FL - Housing Partnership of Northeast Florida (WaMu), 6/28/08
San Antonio, TX - El Carmen Society for Community Advancement (USDA- 4H), 5/06/08

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New photo galleries from KaBOOM! playground builds have just been added to the website! Enjoy!

Oxnard, CA - Boys and Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme (Amgen Foundation), 6/7/08

Charlotte, NC - Elon Homes For Children (The Home Depot Racing to Play), 5/14/08

Chicago, IL - St. Turibius School (Reedy Industries), 5/31/08

Atlanta, GA - Cleveland Avenue Elementary School (Post HOPE Foundation) 5/9/08

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New photo galleries from KaBOOM! playground builds have just been added to the website! Enjoy!

Fremont, CA - Seneca Center (The Home Depot), 5/29/08
Phoenix, AZ - Helping Hands Housing Services (The Home Depot), 5/29/08
Atlanta, GA - Dunair Elementary (Washington Mutual), 5/31/08

See all photo galleries.

Check out photos from the build!

More than 500 volunteers converged on Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park in Bay St. Louis on Saturday to help KaBOOM! and our partners complete the 100th Operation Playground project in the Gulf Coast. In December 2005, KaBOOM! committed to build 100 playgrounds in the region after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast, starting with the first in Bay St. Louis. It was only fitting that the 100th playground was built in the town where it all began. 

The 100th build was a true community celebration. Not even a midday shower could dampen the enthusiasm of the volunteers from the local community, Fannie Mae, AmeriCorps*NCCC, Gulf Coast Recovery Corps, Keesler Air Force base, and others, many of whom had participated in several previous Operation Playground projects. In just under six hours, the volunteers completed two playground structures, refurbished two basketball courts, and built an extensive new ‘front porch’ entrance to the park. They also painted several murals commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, the community and Operation Playground. As a finishing touch, local children created a ‘Heroes Walk’ around the park honoring the men and women of the Civil Rights movement. 

The project was made possible by a partnership between KaBOOM!, the Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund, the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Fannie Mae, Foundation for the Mid South, the City of Bay St. Louis, Hancock Housing Resource Center and Powerhouse of Deliverance Church. At 2:30, representatives from each of the organizations, along with the volunteers and past Operation Playground Community Partners, gathered to cut a very special ribbon made up of 100 painted panels representing each of the 100 Operation Playground projects.    

Because of Operation Playground, more than 22,000 volunteers have donated their time to build playgrounds for nearly 50,000 children from Houston to Mobile.  In all, through Operation Playground, $8.2 million has been invested to build great new places to play in the Gulf Coast by Jim and Donna Barksdale, The Home Depot, Playworld Systems, Fannie Mae, Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund, the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, NBA Cares, DJR Foundation, AmeriCares, ESPN, ING Direct and other outstanding partners. 

KaBOOM! will continue to build in the region and already has several projects scheduled through December. The 101st and 102nd Operation Playground projects will take place in New Orleans and Biloxi on Saturday, June 28. Volunteer for one of these projects.

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