Broad Channel Park a winner - "KFC Li'L Playground Makeover" Facebook Contest

From: The Fort Mill Times, June 4, 2013

Local Playgrounds Receive TLC Makeovers Courtesy of KFC’s Li’l Bucket Kids Meals

$25,000 in Grants Awarded to Community Playgrounds in Cities Across the Country

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- 

In late March, KFC launched the Li’l Playground Makeover Facebook Contest and invited fans to enter to win makeovers for their local community playgrounds. Now, the winning playgrounds are on their way to getting some TLC, courtesy of KFC. The contest was launched in conjunction with the introduction of KFC’s new Li’l Bucket Kids Meals.

“We received stories and photos from some very deserving organizations,” said Jason Marker, Chief Marketing Officer for KFC U.S. “KFC is pleased to be able to give ‘a li’l help’ to these playgrounds, and help make them even better places for the children in these communities.”

The two grand prize-winning playgrounds are located in St. Clair, Mo., and Broad Channel, Queens, N.Y.

In St. Clair, the Franklin County Special Education Cooperative will receive an $11,000 grant to add wheelchair ramps and handicap-accessible equipment to benefit their 70 special needs students. As with all the winners, the Cooperative will also receive $500 in Li’l Bucket Kids Meals gift checks. The Franklin County Special Education Cooperative was nominated by Monica Hiatt.

“Many students require occupational therapy and it’s very hard for them to use the current playground equipment,” Hiatt said. “Sometimes the kids have to sit and watch their classmates play. We want them to be able to play, interact with one another and build social skills.”

In Broad Channel, the community will use their $11,000 grant to rebuild a playground that was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Jennifer Mungeer entered  on behalf of the Broad Channel community.

“Every house in this area was destroyed. I want to help make a positive impact for the children of the community that have seen so much destruction.” Mungeer said. “We want to make this a place of joy so kids can focus on being kids again.”