Constructing Fun at the Charlotte Playground Build

The sun was shining, a breeze was blowing, music was blasting and the energy was high as hundreds of corporate volunteers got out of the office to slide into a day full of hands-on projects.

On Friday, April 11, 200 volunteers from 11 local companies came together to build and install a brand new playground at Hickory Grove Elementary School as part of the 20th Charlotte Playground Build.

Since the early 2000s, companies have banded together across the community to support local schools through the playground build. The generosity of each company involved spans beyond sponsorship to fund the build as they participate with sweat and elbow grease to make the dream of a new playground become a reality.

“The students are thrilled. The students have been a part of the process since the beginning, so it was neat for them to be able to participate and identify the equipment that they wanted to have here on campus. They even identified the colors that they wanted, so they were a part of designing the playground itself,” said Principal Matt Bower. 

“When we connected with United Way and some of the other partners through this, they told us they want to show up not just today to help but, in the future, as well. That’s really important to us as we continue to build and foster those connections in the community.”

In addition to the new playground, volunteers went to work building new picnic tables, putting together new soccer goals, painting murals on the hallway walls and more.

Volunteers also completed a few landscaping projects at Charlotte Bilingual Preschool. 

Special thank you to this year’s sponsors:

Presenting Sponsors

• Carolina Complete Health
• Financial Independence Group

Playground Sponsors

• Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
• First Horizon Bank
• Frito-Lay
• Novant
• Safelite

Swing Sponsors

• Charlotte Center City Partners
• JE Dunn Construction
• Messer Construction

Media Sponsor

• WCNC

Thank you to Charlotte Community Toolbank, Moe Got It, Cunningham Recreation and Raukell Robinson and Ana Brown from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools for your help making this day a success.

We are always blown away by our volunteers for all their hard work and by our sponsors for their support. The students are going to love how you made their school an even more vibrant space to learn and play!

View photos from the event or check out the news coverage from  Larry Sprinkle with WCNC.