Drivers build playground from NASCAR Day funds

There is something about the sound of children playing on a brand-new playground that just brings a smile to people's faces, and that's just one of the many projects funded by fans purchasing a $5 NASCAR Day pin.

NASCAR Day is celebrating "five years of caring" on Friday with the annual NASCAR Day telethon, with proceeds going to the NASCAR Foundation. There are two different ways to contribute: You can buy a NASCAR Day pin for $5, or you can call 1-888-MAY-16TH to make a donation.

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Last year, the NASCAR Day event raised $1.64 million, and on Wednesday at the Elon School for Kids in Charlotte, N.C., Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Rusty Wallace, Johnny Sauter, NASCAR president Mike Helton, Home Depot, KaBOOM and more than 500 volunteers built a brand-new playground made possible by funds raised on NASCAR Day.

"It's exciting and fulfilling to come down and help the kids," Biffle said. "There's all kinds of volunteers that put these playgrounds together, so it's pretty exciting to be a party of this.

"It certainly gives the kids something to do, and all kids need playgrounds. [The drivers] were talking earlier, we all had a chance to go and play when we were growing up, and you don't think about it, but some kids don't have that opportunity. So it feels great to create that opportunity for some kids.

"The thing about the playground is that it is for these kids today, but it's going to be here for lots of kids in the future, too. It's going to serve its purpose for a long time to come, and for everyone to come out here and help do this, it's great."

KaBOOM is a non-profit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. KaBOOM and Home Depot, who has been with KaBOOM since the first playground built in 1995, took the $200,000 raised from NASCAR Day and, in less than a day, constructed a top-notch and safe playground.

Stewart, who has had Home Depot as his primary sponsor since the beginning of his Cup career in 1999, said he enjoyed every minute spent building the kids' new play area.

"When you realize how much the communities give to us and support us, it's nice to be able to give back," Stewart said. "And that's something you learn really quickly when you start working with Home Depot, is how much the Home Depot community gives back and it means a lot. It's something that makes you proud of what you do with them.

"We have over 350,000 associates that support us and it's nice to come out here with them and be a part of a community project, where not only are we around people that support us, but we can support them back and give back to the community."

Tony Stewart works with a volunteer to finish a part of the playground.

With more than 500 volunteers, one would think it would be tough for guys not known for their construction skills to be able to contribute, but that wasn't the case. Everyone in attendance found something they could assist with.

"I've done a little bit of everything at one time or another," Stewart said. "I've mixed concrete, I've thrown mulch, you name it, I've done it at sometime or another."

There is a downside to the quick construction of a playground, and the ultimate kid-at-heart Stewart recognized it right away.

"The only negative to doing these is that when we get done, they can't play on it right away," Stewart said. "There's a lot of times that the kids are present and want to be on the playground right when we get done, but the concrete has to set in and the project manager has to make sure everything is 100 percent and right, and make sure nobody's made any mistakes before the kids actually have a chance to get on it."

In no time, though, the kids in Charlotte will get to play on the new playground. Smiles will be seen, laughter will be heard, and for Sauter, that's all that matters.

"It makes me feel pretty good. I mean just to be a part of this, at the end of the day it's all about giving back to the community," Sauter said. "So for me to be able to give back and be able to build a playground, I'm glad to do whatever it takes and glad to be here and help."

Stewart couldn't agree more.

"It's a sense of pride seeing the smiles on their faces," he said. "That's what makes it all worthwhile."