2006 Hometown Huddle

On October 10, the Cincinnati Bengals, Marvin Lewis Community Fund, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Cincinnati Parks, Rotary Club of Cincinnati, Baker Concrete, Chiquita, Home Depot, The Drees Company, Zaring Premier Homes and many other corporate partners are teamed up for the eighth annual NFL/United Way Hometown Huddle.

With help from 350 volunteers and Bengals players, coaches and staff, Hometown Huddle helped build a universally accessible treehouse in Mt. Airy Forest. The only such public treehouse in the Tri-State, this universally accessible treehouse has a series of ramps that provides access to all, including children with special needs who are routinely confronted with barriers in their daily lives. The treehouse in Mt. Airy Forest will stand 14 feet off the ground, be connected to 12 trees and will be 1500 sq. feet, including its ramps that lead gradually down to a parking area.

Coach Lewis and Mayor Mark Mallory visited the treehouse at lunch to thank the volunteers for their hard work and to recognize the help of the many community partners that collaborated to bring the treehouse to life and make Hometown Huddle a success.

“I am constantly humbled by the volunteer efforts to make projects such as this happen in the Greater Cincinnati community,” said Coach Lewis. “Thanks to all of our volunteers and corporate support, we are making dreams come true.”

Eight dreams came true during Hometown Huddle as eight children were able to play in the treehouse on October 10. As their eyes lit up and smiles widened, the eyes of their parents watered. Both were overcome with joy at what they were seeing as the volunteers stopped their work to see the fruit of their labors.

Along with the Bengals players, coaches and staff, the Marvin Lewis Community Fund teamed up with employees from Home Depot, Best Buy, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Rotary Club of Cincinnati, and PriceWaterhouseCoopers, who volunteered their time to help build the treehouse. Other corporate donors and partners who helped with this year’s Hometown Huddle project include American Scaffolding Inc., Baker Concrete, Best Buy, Castellini, Chiquita, Cort Furniture, Distinctive Signs, Drees Homes, Game Day Communications, Graphic Information Systems, Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati, Home Depot, Landscape Associates, McDaniel’s Photography, Messer Construction Co., Mueller Roofing Co., Ohio Casualty Group Foundation, Outback Steakhouse, Pavestone, Pepsi, Prestige Audio Visual, Trophy Awards, Vonderhaar’s Catering, and Zaring Premier Homes.

Chiquita has sponsored a transportation fund to help transport youth and adults to the treehouse. To donate to the transportation fund, please contact the Marvin Lewis Community Fund at (513) 381-KIDS.

The NFL/United Way “Hometown Huddle” is an NFL-wide day of service that provides NFL players, coaches, wives, and staff from each team and their communities the opportunity to participate in a variety of community-service activities.

The project is a part of Forever Young Treehouses www.treehouses.org, whose goal is to give children and young adults with special needs a childhood memory that will last a lifetime. Their goal is to build a treehouse in every state by 2008. Currently fourteen have been built across the country. The photos below were taken from the Barrington, IL treehouse project.

Click here to view the 2006 Photo Gallery and to order pictures

Click here to apply for Transportation Funding

Cincinnati Parks

2005 Hometown Huddle

2004 Hometown Huddle