Press Releases

Replacement Miracle Playground Installed at Joplin’s Cunningham Park to Mark One Year Anniversary of Joplin Tornado

Monett, MO
May 18, 2012

Joplin’s Cunningham Park suffered severe damage as a result of the devastating EF5 tornado on May 22, 2011.  Located directly across from the former site of the badly damaged St. John’s Hospital, Cunningham Park featured two Miracle playgrounds, both of which were destroyed.  Nearly a year later and during the week of May 7th, Miracle Recreation installed replacement playgrounds with the help of volunteers and Miracle Recreation employees.

Located just over 40 miles from Joplin, Miracle Recreation’s manufacturing facility and offices employ many Joplin residents.  Several employees and their families were personally affected by the tornado.  “Our employees were deeply affected by the Joplin tragedy and it was important to us as a company and as a member of the community to help with the rebuilding process,” added Don Hemingway, Vice President of Business Development for Miracle’s parent company, PlayPower, Inc. Immediately following the disaster in Joplin, Miracle Recreation Equipment Company implemented a “Playgrounds 4 Joplin” program, which generated a $25,000 contribution towards the replacement playground. 

Proceeds for the purchase of the replacement playgrounds were provided by the City of Joplin and by Miracle Recreation through its $25,000 donation.  A local Miracle certified installation company and approximately 50 Miracle employees donated their time and services to install the playground equipment.  Additionally, Sam’s Club^® donated bottled water, and Subway^TM provided lunch to the installation crew and volunteers during each day of construction. 

The new playgrounds at Cunningham Park feature Miracle’s exclusive nature-themed Mega Tower® structure with 2-story towers and large twisting slides for children ages 5-12, and a smaller Tot’s Choice® structure for children ages 2 to 5.  Whereas the original playground equipment had capacity for only 80 children, the new playground structures are much larger and can accommodate up to 190 children.

Cunningham Park and the surrounding areas were the epicenter of the devastating damage in Joplin, making the revitalization and re-dedication of the park that much more important to the community. Miracle Recreation is honored to assist the City of Joplin, and excited and happy for its residents and visitors.

The official grand opening for the new playground at Cunningham Park will take place on May 22, 2012, as a part of the “Walk of Unity” event planned in observance of the first anniversary of the deadly tornado.  The walk will end at Cunningham Park with a special ceremony and a moment of silence to honor the victims of the tornado.

For pictures of the Cunningham Park Playground project visit Miracle’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/miracle.recreation.equipment.company

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Miracle Recreation, founded in 1927 (http://www.miracle-recreation.com/), provides customized Commercial Playground Equipment for parks, schools, churches and communities.  Miracle is a subsidiary of PlayPower, Inc. (more information available at: www.playpower.com), which owns EZ Dock, Inc. and Soft Play, L.L.C. in the United States, and Hags Play and SMP in Europe.  All PlayPower companies are leaders in the markets which they serve and have years of experience bringing play and recreation to life.

For more information contact Don Hemingway at  704-949-1619 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Miracle Recreation Equipment Company Receives Army Corps Of Engineers Safety Award

Monett, MO
February 2, 2012

Playground equipment supplier Miracle Recreation Equipment Company received the "Excellence Through Safety" Small Contract Award, honoring safe work performance and high safety standards.

Monett, Missouri – Miracle Recreation Company, a nationwide leader in Commercial Playground Equipment, recently received an award commending their commitment to safety. Established by the Army Corps of Engineers to honor companies that go above and beyond contractual safety requirements, the "Excellence Through Safety" Small Contract Award was given for the first time this year. Miracle Recreation Company was the first company to receive it.

Miracle received the honor for an installation of playground equipment in Jefferson, Texas. Miracle recreation installed one of its large commercial playground systems with at the Johnson Creek Park, located within Lake O' The Pines. This installation was completed with government and private workers because the park itself is public. Throughout the construction process Miracle emphasized safety for the workers and quality construction for the children. This combination earned them recognition from the Army Corps of Engineers and led to the award. "We are honored to accept this award. Miracle has always maintained safety as our first priority in everything we design and on all job sites," said Dan Guthrie, President of Miracle Recreation.

The Army Corps of Engineers recognized this commitment. "The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, recognizes that providing a safe workplace for craftsmen, contractors, and government personnel is a constant challenge that requires considerable attention and effort. Your efforts exceed the contract requirements in the area of Safety Management and are greatly appreciated," wrote Col. Richard J. Muraski, Jr. in the award letter.

About Miracle

With over 80 years of experience, Miracle is one of the largest manufacturers of commercial outdoor playgrounds and recreational equipment in the U.S. Based in Monett, Missouri, the company offers its customers innovative, made to order products at affordable prices, while maintaining the highest levels of quality and safety. Miracle’s products provide children with exciting and safe places to play, physical exercise, social integration, confidence, self-esteem and improved motor skills. The company has 400 employees, over 100 domestic sales consultants, and 40 international distributors.

Miracle Recreation is a division of PlayPower, Inc., which is the global leader in recreation equipment and accessories, with more than 1,100 employees worldwide. More information is available at www.miracle-recreation.com.

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For more information contact Don Hemingway at  704-949-1619 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Kennedy Elementary in Brockton, MA Wins the Miracle Recreation^® Playground Giveaway

Monett, MO
January 16, 2012

Monett, MO USA—Miracle Recreation^® is pleased to announce the winner of their “NEW PLAYGROUND GIVEAWAY” is Kennedy Elementary in Brockton, Massachusetts.  Kennedy Elementary is located just south of Boston, MA and is home to over 600 students, ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade.

Kennedy was in need of a new, improved playground to replace their old, metal slides and Swings that have been in place since the 1960s, which no longer comply with current safety standards. 

“Our kids really haven’t been able to utilize the playground equipment in a long time.  In Brockton, many other schools in our district have built new facilities and new playgrounds.  We felt it was time the kids at Kennedy had a new playground, and we knew the only way to get it done was to raise the funds ourselves,” explains Jennifer Giannaros, teacher at Brockton School District and parent of two Kennedy Elementary students.

Ms. Giannaros did some research on playground equipment and came across Miracle Recreation’s Playground Giveaway.  After gaining approval from the school principal and garnering support for the cause, Kennedy Elementary entered to win.

Ms. Giannaros explained, “We had a ton of support from our community, from the parents to the entire school district.  Kennedy's new playground wouldn’t have become a reality without them.”

Kennedy Elementary reached out to everyone they could by sending out notices to parents, the school district, and city-wide internet sites.  By the end of the voting process, Kennedy was at the top of the photo contest votes and after submitting a heartfelt video from their students and staff, they were chosen as the winners of Miracle’s $25,000 playground.

“We are very excited for our new playground and hope to have it installed by April of this year.  It will be used not only by the school but our entire community.  For some of these children, this will be the first real playground they have ever experienced”, adds Ms. Giannaros. 

For more information on Kennedy Elementary and to view their contest video visit http://www.miracle-recreation.com/playground-giveaway-winner.html.

About Miracle

With over 80 years of experience, Miracle is one of the largest manufacturers of commercial outdoor playgrounds and recreational equipment in the U.S. Based in Monett, Missouri, the company offers its customers innovative, made to order products at affordable prices, while maintaining the highest levels of quality and safety. Miracle’s products provide children with exciting and safe places to play, physical exercise, social integration, confidence, self-esteem and improved motor skills. The company has 400 employees, over 100 domestic sales consultants, and 40 international distributors.

Miracle Recreation is a division of PlayPower, Inc., which is the global leader in recreation equipment and accessories, with more than 1,100 employees worldwide. More information is available at www.miracle-recreation.com.

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For more information contact Don Hemingway at  704-949-1619 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Miracle Recreation Announces Photo Contest to Win a New Playground for Your School

Monett, MO
September 16, 2011

Miracle Recreation announced that it will be giving away a $25,000* playground based on the school with the most need and votes by the public via Miracle’s Facebook page.

The contest began September 14, 2011.  Participants can nominate Public or Private schools, located in the contiguous United States using the Miracle Facebook contest application.  Entrants will be required to submit a photo of their current playground or playground site with a short essay on why their school needs a new playground.

All qualified entries will be listed on the contest pages, where the public can vote for their favorite school.  Voters can submit one vote per day.  The ten schools with the most votes will become the finalists.  The 10 finalist will then be asked to submit a video illustrating why their school needs a new playground.  A panel of Miracle judges will decide on the grand prize winner based on their need for a playground and the creativity of their video.

For more information on Miracle’s School Playground Giveaway visit http://www.miracle-recreation.com/playground-giveaway.html or call 1-888-458-2752.

About Miracle

With over 80 years of experience, Miracle is one of the largest manufacturers of commercial outdoor playgrounds and recreational equipment in the U.S. Based in Monett, Missouri, the company offers its customers innovative, made to order products at affordable prices, while maintaining the highest levels of quality and safety. Miracle’s products provide children with exciting and safe places to play, physical exercise, social integration, confidence, self-esteem and improved motor skills. The company has 400 employees, over 100 domestic sales consultants, and 40 international distributors.

Miracle Recreation is a division of PlayPower, Inc., which is the global leader in recreation equipment and accessories, with more than 1,100 employees worldwide. More information is available at www.miracle-recreation.com.

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For more information, contact:  Don Hemingway ‐ Vice President Business Development ‐ PlayPower, Inc. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it