Dr Pepper Snapple Group’s Let’s Play Initiative Hosts Playground Buildto Improve Alexandria Kids’ Lives with Play

WHAT:

More than 200 volunteers will join forces on Saturday, June 4, to give local kids the childhood they deserve by building a new playground from the ground up at the T.R.E.E. House Children’s Museum.
• The playground build is made possible by Let’s Play, an initiative by Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) to provide kids and families with the tools, places and inspiration to make active play a daily priority, and its nonprofit partner KaBOOM!
• The build will culminate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the newly erected playground and making more play possible for local Alexandria kids.

WHY:

Play is important to children’s physical, emotional, social and intellectual development, but research shows kids are becoming more sedentary and not getting the activity they need.
• According to research from the CDC, healthy lifestyle habits formed through play, including physical activity, can lower the risk of obesity and its associated health issues.
• Through Let’s Play, DPS and its partners are committed to Alexandria and helping create safe and inspiring places for local kids to enjoy the active play they need for years to come.

WHO:

Representatives available for interviews:
• Kara Edwards – Executive Director of the T.R.E.E. House Children’s Museum
• Courtny Dolan – KaBOOM! Project Manager
• Marissa Sonnier – Operations Manager of the T.R.E.E. House Children’s Museum
• Sherry Smith-Ellington – Executive Director of the Alexandria/Pineville Convention and Visitors Bureau

WHEN:
Saturday, June 4 (Times approximate)
• 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Kick-Off Ceremony
• 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Playground Construction (best viewing between 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
• 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

WHERE:
T.R.E.E House Children’s Museum
1403 Third St.
Alexandria, LA 71301

ABOUT LET’S PLAY:
Let’s Play is an initiative launched in 2011 by Dr Pepper Snapple Group to provide the tools, places and inspiration to make play a daily priority. By 2017, DPS will provide nearly 10 million children across North America with new opportunities to play and be active through Let’s Play. In partnership with the nonprofit organizations KaBOOM! and Good Sports, Let’s Play is working to eliminate the ‘play deficit’ by building and improving play spaces and providing grants for athletic equipment and gear. For more information, please visit LetsPlay.com or Facebook.com/LetsPlay.

ABOUT T.R.E.E. House Children’s Museum:
It is the mission of T.R.E.E. House Children’s Museum to provide children with a sensory-engaging, interactive and fun learning experience. It is our goal to plant the seeds of learning and nourish their growth. We meet that goal by providing hands-on exhibits and innovative programs that meet the following objectives: Education, Family, Discovery, and Community!

ABOUT KaBOOM!:
KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to giving all kids – particularly those growing up in poverty in America – the childhood they deserve filled with balanced and active play, so they can thrive. Since 1996, KaBOOM! has collaborated with partners to build, open or improve nearly 16,300 playgrounds, engaged more than one million volunteers and served 8.1 million kids. KaBOOM! creates great places to play, inspires communities to promote and support play, and works to drive the national discussion about the importance of play in fostering healthy and productive lives. To learn why ‪#‎playmatters‬ and why cities are embracing ‪#‎playability‬ visit kaboom.org or join the conversation at twitter.com/kaboom or facebook.com/kaboom.