Hundreds of community members of Mount Tabor Meadows in Blacksburg voted every day for two weeks to help win a $5,000 playground grant. Here is a press release from Mount Tabor Meadows:

The residents of Mount Tabor Meadows in Blacksburg truly have something to celebrate today! The community rallied together to garner 1,729 votes online to help them secure a playground equipment grant of up to $5,000.

Last month, American non-profit KaBOOM! premiered a Promote Your Project design contest. Twenty-two communities across the country worked to create playground designs that showed the world their dream playground.

The first round of the contest was judged by a celebrity panel who selected ten projects to compete in the finals. Finalists were encouraged to rally their communities to get the word out however they could, placing stories in local papers and on local television stations, e-mailing to friends and contacts, as well as sending out Facebook and Twitter updates.

Justin Boyle, builder and developer for Mt. Tabor Meadows and also a current resident, said the whole process of planning the common space and working on the contest has brought the neighborhood together in a special way.

“Our community pleased and very thankful for all the support we received to win the KaBOOM! Promote Your Project design contest,” said Boyle. “We are looking forward to beginning the next phase of the project.”

“Mount Tabor Meadows Commons efforts have just been extraordinary,” said Darell Hammond, CEO of KaBOOM! “Not only did they create a really great design they can use to garner additional support, but the work they did to get out the vote was truly exceptional. The kids in the Mount Tabor Meadows Commons community are really lucky to have such incredible support for their project. This grant is just the beginning.   I’m betting that a community that’s this determined and strong is in great shape to raise the rest of the money they need to make their kids’ dreams come true.