City of Auburn Awarded $20,000 Let’s Play Grant from Dr Pepper Snapple Group and National Non-Profit KaBOOM! After Being Named a Playful City USA Community

AUBURN, Wash. - October 24, 2011 – Dr Pepper Snapple Group and national non-profit KaBOOM! presented a check for $20,000 to the City of Auburn on Monday, Oct. 17 during the Auburn City Council meeting for a Let’s Play Playground Construction grant for a new playground at Game Farm Park. Gina Mordeaux, Director of State Government Affairs for Dr Pepper Snapple Group were on hand to present the check to Auburn. The City received the grant because it was selected as a 2011 Playful City USA community by KaBOOM! and will use the grant to build a new playground with community involvement.

The grants are part of the first Let’s Play initiative introduced in November of last year – a $15 million, three-year commitment from Dr Pepper Snapple Group to KaBOOM!, the national non-profit saving play by ensuring there is a great place to play within walking distance of every child. Together through Let’s Play, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and KaBOOM! will build or fix up 2,000 playgrounds by the end of 2013, benefiting an estimated five million children across North America.

Auburn applied for 2011 Playful City USA recognition and also submitted a Let’s Play grant application to Dr Pepper Snapple Group and KaBOOM!. Auburn was selected as one of 20 Playful City USA communities to receive a Let’s Play Playground Construction grant among the 151 communities that earned Playful City USA status in 2011. Playful City USA is a national program advocating for local policies that increase play opportunities for children. KaBOOM! created Playful City USA in 2007 to help local governments address the Play Deficit by ensuring their children have the time and space they need to play.

The new playground will replace the 28 year old playground equipment at Game Farm Park that is serious need of repair and replacement. Game Farm Park, a 53 acre park that also includes an additional 86 acres of open space, is one of the largest and most frequently-used community parks in Auburn. The park contains a wide variety of facilities for organized sports, activities, and special community events. The hillside backdrop and proximity to the White River creates a spectacular natural setting. The park is popular for rentals and a one-mile paved loop trail allows for walks around the meadows, play structures and ball fields. The park includes 2 synthetic turf soccer fields, 4 softball fields, a rentable picnic shelter, an amphitheater, barbecue grills, 2 basketball and pickleball courts, 4 tennis courts, and a piece of public art.

It is anticipated that the new playground will get over 100 kids playing on the equipment daily and over the course of the year, the playground could get over 10,000 visits from kids.

About Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Dr Pepper Snapple Group (NYSE: DPS) is the leading producer of flavored beverages in North America and the Caribbean. Our success is fueled by more than 50 brands that are synonymous with refreshment, fun and flavor. We have 6 of the top 10 non-cola soft drinks, and 9 of our 12 leading brands are No. 1 in their flavor categories. In addition to our flagship Dr Pepper and Snapple brands, our portfolio includes Sunkist soda, 7UP, A&W, Canada Dry, Crush, Mott's, Squirt, Hawaiian Punch, Penafiel, Clamato, Schweppes, Venom Energy, Rose's and Mr & Mrs T mixers. To learn more about our iconic brands and Plano, Texas-based company, please visit www.drpeppersnapple.com.

About Let’s Play
Let’s Play is a community partnership led by Dr Pepper Snapple Group (NYSE: DPS) to get kids and families active nationwide. The first Let’s Play initiative is a $15 million, three-year commitment to KaBOOM!, the national non-profit that’s saving play. Together, through Let’s Play, DPS and KaBOOM! will build or fix up 2,000 playgrounds by the end of 2013, benefiting an estimated five million children across North America. For more information, visit Let’s Play on Facebook at www.facebook.com/letsplay or online at www.LetsPlay.com.

About KaBOOM!
KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to saving play. Children today spend less time playing outdoors than any previous generation, a fact that is having disastrous consequences on their health, achievement levels, and overall well-being. To fight this Play Deficit, social entrepreneur Darell Hammond founded non-profit KaBOOM! 15 years ago in Washington, D.C. with a vision of creating a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. Since then, KaBOOM! has mapped over 85,000 places to play, built more than 2,000 playgrounds, and successfully advocated for play policies in hundreds of cities across the country. KaBOOM! also provides communities with online tools to self-organize and take action to support play on both a local and national level. Hammond chronicles the founding of the organization and the importance of the cause of play in his The New York Times Best Seller KaBOOM!: How One Man Built a Movement to Save Play. The book details how businesses and communities can work together to save play for children across the country. All author proceeds support KaBOOM!. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., KaBOOM! also has offices in Chicago and San Mateo, Calif. For more information, visit www.kaboom.org.

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Auburn City Hall
25 W Main Street
Auburn WA 98001-4998
Phone: 253-931-3000

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