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Helping to Keep Sterling Heights, Mich., One of the Nation's Top 100 'Best Places to Raise a Family;' Chrysler Jeep Superstores


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., July 15 -- What: More than 250 volunteers from the Chrysler Jeep(R) Superstores and Motor City Dodge Dealers, which consist of 74 dealers from the area; The Chrysler Foundation; the Sterling Heights Community Foundation; organizers from KaBOOM! and residents of the local community will join forces on Saturday, July 19, 2008 to build a new and secure playground at Delia Park in Sterling Heights, Mich.

The city of Sterling Heights is among the top 100 cities that were named by Best Life magazine in 2008 as the "Best Places to Raise a Family."

Why: The new playground will serve approximately 40,000 children annually and provide them with a safe and enjoyable place to play. Currently, the existing playground at Delia Park is outdated and in need of replacement. The new playground's design is based on drawings provided by children who attended a Design Day event in May 2008.

The playspace is the seventh of 25 scheduled to be built this year by KaBOOM!, The Chrysler Foundation and Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge dealerships across the country to provide more than 70,000 children with a great place to play. The playspace is also one of more than 225 builds KaBOOM! will lead across the country in 2008, in an effort to provide an enjoyable place to play within walking distance of every child in America.

  Who:     -- Tony Viviano, Motor City Dodge Dealers member and Dealer
              Principal - Sterling Heights Dodge
           -- Tim Monicatti, Chrysler Jeep(R) Superstores member and Dealer
              Principal - Monicatti Chrysler Jeep
           -- Brian Glowiak, Vice President - The Chrysler Foundation
           -- Brian Schnurr, Director - Great Lakes Business Center -
              Chrysler LLC
           -- Karl Oskoian, President - The Sterling Heights Community
              Foundation
           -- Deanna Koski, Mayor Pro Tem - Sterling Heights
           -- Volunteers representing 74 local Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge
              dealerships from the metro Detroit area
           -- Approximately 250 volunteers from the community

  When:    Saturday, July 19, 2008
           8:30 a.m. EDT - Kick off and volunteer deployment
           11 a.m. - 1 p.m. EDT - Best time to view playground under
           construction
           3:00 p.m. EDT - Ribbon-cutting ceremony to dedicate new play area
           (Note: all times approximate)

  Where:   Delia Park
           3001 18 Mile Rd.
           Sterling Heights, MI 48310
           Park is located on the north side of 18 Mile Rd. between Ryan
           Road and Dequindre Road

  Visuals: -- Before and after shots of the site
           -- Volunteers assembling brightly colored playground equipment
           -- Volunteers hauling approximately 215 cubic yards of mulch by
              hand in tarps
           -- Volunteers mixing approximately 20,000 lbs of concrete by hand
              in wheelbarrows
           -- Ribbon-cutting ceremony with community and corporate
              representatives to dedicate the playground