Exmark Manufacturing Co., a division of Toro, and the company Mike works for, is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year. Mike is on the committee that was in charge of deciding how they would mark the commemoration. Rather than throw a party or get a gift for each employee, Mike had the idea to restore/build a park in the community as a way to give back. Just a couple of blocks from the Exmark offices was an old, dilpidated park that needed some serious help. They purchased the lot next door, which included a condemned home, so they could expand the size of the park. They went to work and tore down the old home and put in over $100,000 of park equipment! All of the labor was done by the Exmark employees. The receptionist, marketing, HR, line workers, and more all spent hours and days getting dirty and working hard on the park.
Today was the grand opening and ribon-cutting ceremony. Mike left early in the morning, as he had responsibilities to take care of, and Andrew and I came to join him when the event started. They had free food from local vendors, the mayor was there, along with the Lincoln Saltdogs (our local baseball team) to sign autographs. Mike was in charge of different basketball competitions (big surprise, I know!) and they had gift bags, ballons, and tattoos for the kids. They really did a great job of making the event for the community.
Here are some pics of the ceremony and the new park!
These tetherball courts were inspired by Napoleon Dynamite!
I think this web thing is pretty cool! It's like a new version of the big metal spider web we had as kids!
The pavillian was also built by Exmark employees and grass will be put in this Fall.
Andrew was having fun at the park until he heard his daddy on the speakers and saw all the balls on the basketball court. He just couldn't stay away!
Mike always does an incredible job of outperforming what is expected of him, and this event was no execption! He was interviewed by a local radio station and was sharp, eloquent, and carried himself well- he always does! I'm not the only one impressed with my husband. He has definitely won the hearts of those he works with and many in the community of Beatrice!
10 comments:
Yeah MIKE!!! I am sooooo proud of you. You are awesome. I am sure lots of people are impressed with your wonderful idea and all the work that went into this. Wow! What a wonderful thing to give back to the community. Go mike!!!
Way to go Mike! The park looks so nice. That was a great idea. I am sure that the community is going to love it!:)
Wow!! This is so great!! I didn't even know this was in the works!! Congratulations on a job well done!
Mike, that is great! I don't know exactly what to congratulate you on first, but it probably all boils down to a congratulations for the type of person you have disciplined yourself to become. ...I'll have some of what you're drinking please. :) Keep it up! --Ryan Martin
Congratulations Mike! I had no idea this was all going on! I am so proud of you. You have always done things above and beyond and very well! What a nice park and contribution that must be to Beatrice! Love ya, and thanks for sharing! I love hearing the good things all of you are doing!
That is so AWESOME!! We are so impressed and could tell the park is totally MIKE! What a great idea. Congratulations on accomplishing something that cool!
That is so great! Maybe we need to take a trip our to NE to play at that park!
That is really cool! What a good idea to do that! I love the park....it looks like a lot of fun!
That is a GREAT idea to put money into a city park! Jake is a huge park conaisseur and is impressed as well.
Post a Comment