Bobcat Company has launched a nationwide Bobcat Park and Rec Makeover Contest to give one community a $100,000 sports park makeover.

Contest Kick-off

Chip Gaines and Bobcat help to rebuild the Bell’s Hill Park in Waco, Texas, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. Photo by Jenn Ackerman @ackermangruber

To kick off the contest, Bobcat teamed up with its brand ambassador and renovation expert Chip Gaines for a baseball field makeover. They hoped to inspire communities to see the potential in their local park and recreation spaces.

Bobcat brought equipment and a fleet of volunteers to Gaines’ hometown of Waco, TX, to make over a local ballfield. Gaines, host of the hit show “Fixer Upper” and Magnolia co-founder, is an advocate for youth sports, having played baseball growing up and during college.

“I grew up playing ball at local parks, and now, my boys have too. Spending time outside and being involved in community sports is such a big part of our family’s life, which makes me thrilled to partner with Bobcat here in Waco to renovate a local ballpark as they launch their national contest,” said Gaines. “It’s projects like this that really bring a community together, today but also decades down the road.”

Commitment to Community

Chip Gaines and Bobcat help to rebuild the Bell’s Hill Park in Waco, Texas, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. Photo by Jenn Ackerman @ackermangruber

The Bobcat Park and Rec Makeover Contest is open to communities in the U.S. with a shovel-ready park/recreation project. Funds can be used to renovate or create a park /recreation space or facility based on the winning community’s needs.

Bobcat has long supported communities where its customers, dealers and employees live and work. In 2023, Bobcat partnered with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) to offer grants to create sustainable community park and recreation areas. Bobcat continues to partner with NRPA for its Park and Rec Makeover Contest. The partnership also extends  through its sponsorship of Park and Recreation Month.

“At Bobcat, we’re all about building the kind of world we want to live in, and this contest is just one of the ways we’re giving back to help communities thrive,” Ness Owens explained. “Teaming up with Chip to fix up a ballpark in the Waco area is our way of encouraging people to take action in their own towns. It could be by nominating their community for a similar makeover or simply volunteering and getting involved.”

For full contest details, rules and regulations, and to enter for a chance to win, click here. Deadline for entries is August 16.

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