PHILADELPHIA - (Business Wire) Calling all volunteers! More than 200 volunteers are needed on Friday, May 16 from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. when PECO, the Boroughs of Trappe and Collegeville and KaBOOM! team up to build a new community playground in Collegeville Trappe Water Works Park. PECO is funding the majority of the nearly $60,000 project in memory of Michael J. Killian, former Limerick, Pa. native and 18-year first class aerial linemen, killed while performing his job in January 2006.
“This is a very special event for the PECO family,” said Denis O’Brien, president and CEO of PECO. “It was a tragic day when we lost Mike and we searched long and hard to find a way to create a lasting tribute to him. Because Mike’s two small daughters live nearby, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to give them a place to honor their dad and experience the joys of childhood again.”
The play space, designed in March 2008 by local children, includes several giant slides, a rock climbing wall, tic-tac-toe activity wall, ladders, swings and more. The new playground will provide about 1,000 area children with a safe place to play each year.
“I feel there is magic in the air,” said Mayor Connie Peck. “That magic is KaBOOM! and the generosity of PECO. The children of Collegeville and Trappe are so excited by the realization that they are an integral part of the process and design. We all can take pride and show unity in working as a team. This truly is an event that will go down in history,” she concluded.
This play space is the first built by KaBOOM! and PECO, and one of more than 225 planned by KaBOOM! in 2008 to fulfill their mission of providing a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America.
“This is obviously going to be a special event,” said Darell Hammond, CEO and co-founder of KaBOOM!. “We’re extremely touched that PECO felt the best way to pay tribute to Mike was to bring together hundreds of volunteers to build a playground in his memory. We’re very proud of the fact that we’re involved in this project and it really means a lot to us.”
PECO will provide 125 employee volunteers for the effort, with the remaining 100 plus volunteers needed from the community. The event will be held rain or shine, and no experience is necessary. For more information call 610-489-7181 or visit www.trappeborough.com, or to volunteer e-mail Jim Durell at playground@trappeborough.com.
PECO
Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE:EXC). PECO serves 1.6 million electric and 480,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania and employs about 2,500 people in the region. PECO delivered 78.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 39.9 billion kilowatt-hours-hours of electricity in 2007. Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens, providing leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and culture, education, environmental, economic development and community programs and organizations.
Boroughs of Collegeville & Trappe
Collegeville and Trappe are adjacent boroughs in the northwest suburbs of Philadelphia. Collegeville Trappe Water Works Park is a jointly owned park located along the shared border of the boroughs and serves residents from both municipalities. The park was acquired in 1942 and once was the site of the historic Herzog family farm. Today the park is used for annual large community events including Trappe Days and the Grange Fair, and year-round for youth sports, environmental activities, and recreation. For more information, visit www.trappeborough.com or www.collegeville-pa.gov.
KaBOOM!
KaBOOM! is a national non-profit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. Since 1995, KaBOOM! has used its innovative community-build model to bring together business and community interests to construct more than 1,400 new playgrounds, skateparks, sports fields and ice rinks across North America. KaBOOM! also offers a variety of resources, including an online community, regional and national trainings, grants, publications and the KaBOOM! National Campaign for Play, which includes Playful City USA and the Playmaker Network – a national network of individual advocates for play. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., KaBOOM! also has offices in Chicago, Atlanta and San Mateo, Calif. For more information, visit www.kaboom.org.
PECO
Cathy Engel, 215-841-4492
or
KaBOOM!
Mike Vietti, 202-464-6076
or
Boroughs of Collegeville and Trappe
Connie Peck, 610-454-0737
