Celebrity designer Ty Pennington today will unveil Project Playground, a community-centered initiative in which Pennington has partnered with Shire to design, build and donate a fully equipped playground to an elementary school in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, Public School (P.S.) 72. Shire and Pennington, who is a spokesman for Shire concerning Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and speaks often about how his life has been impacted by this medical condition, collaborated on Project Playground as a way to promote healthy lifestyles among children, and to contribute to the community in a tangible way.


Pennington and Shire initiated Project Playground after discovering that this elementary school, with more than 600 students, had no playground equipment to use during their recess and after-school time. Pennington worked with Shire to create a fun, multi-purpose playground that would include a jungle gym, a basketball court, a running track, and a kickball and baseball diamond.


Project Playground will be unveiled at 10:00 a.m. today at P.S. 72, which is located at 131 East 104th Street (at Lexington Avenue) in New York City.


"I am proud to partner with Shire in this community initiative. So many of my childhood memories are about having fun with friends on the playground at recess and after school and playing sports, too. I know that kids, especially those who have ADHD, need to stay active, and Project Playground will leave these students with an awesome place where they can use their energy and channel their abilities in school and after school," said Ty Pennington, host of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition(TM). "I know, firsthand, the importance of understanding and treating ADHD, and believe that there may be kids out there with ADHD who could benefit from the same kind of support."


"We feel extremely privileged to have the opportunity to brighten the lives of these elementary school children through Project Playground," said Matthew Emmens, Shire Chief Executive Officer. "Shire is proud to partner on initiatives that impact communities in meaningful ways, and especially when we can help promote healthy lifestyles among children."