This post is sponsored by the Dr Pepper Snapple Group. All opinions are my own.
While I was in Dallas last month, I had the opportunity to join Dr Pepper Snapple Group on a Let's Play playground build. The Let's Play program recognizes the importance of helping kids be active and they are giving back by helping build playgrounds. The Let's Play program has improved 2,200 playgrounds, benefiting 7.5 million kids to date. With these builds over 2,300 Dr Pepper Snapple Group employees and over 18,000 volunteer hours were donating. I was excited to be part of this opportunity.
Before the playground was built, the kids had the opportunity to draw plans with what their dream playground looked like. They had these drawing displayed and it was fun to see the vision the kids had and see that many of their dream playgrounds were coming true. 
All of the volunteers were separated into smaller groups and given group assignments to make the playground build come together as quickly as possible. My group was assigned this massive triple slide. It was very heavy but we worked together and were excited when it was officially attached to the playground. 
While some of the volunteer were building the playground, others were working hard planting trees, making benches and building and planting a garden. It was really need to see volunteers come together and make this school look so beautiful. The garden will be a great place that the kids can learn and experience growing.
As part of this event, Good Sports made 72 donations valued at $75,000 total. These donations included items like soccer balls, basketballs, jump ropes and other outdoor equipment. These donations went to the school, YMCA and other locations in need in the Dallas area. It really is wonderful seeing so many companies giving back to the community.
All in all, I had the opportunity to help build a slide, carry mulch and mix concrete. It was an amazing experience and a lot of work. It was so fun seeing the process from start to finish and was amazed that it came together. Hundreds of volunteers made it possible and I was glad that I could be a part of it. It truly ended up being a great experience and really fun playground. I loved having the kids come for the ribbon cutting ceremony and seeing the smiles on their faces when they saw their new playground! Here is a video that shows the playground from start to finish:
Visit Let's Play for more information on their program or to nominate a grantee.
Hi, my name is Melissa! I live in Spanish Fork, Utah. I'm happily married to Rob, and together we have five wonderful kids. Our family loves to embark on adventures, often in our RV, exploring the great outdoors. I'm an avid reader and a big fan of Hallmark movies – they always have a way of lifting my spirits. Hiking is another passion of mine; there's nothing like the tranquility of nature. I have a sweet tooth for chocolate and a love for Mexican food, both of which make life a little more delicious. In my downtime, I enjoy playing games with my family, creating memories and sharing laughter. Life is an adventure, and I'm here to enjoy every moment of it! I'm the blogger and creative mind behind the blog A Sparkle of Genius! Check out our posts on recipes, crafts, kid stuff, printables, travel and more!