09.24.2008

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Braylon Edwards was recognized Tuesday as the Home Depot Neighborhood MVP and took part in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new playground at Churchill Park in Cleveland.

More than 200 volunteers and the Famicos Foundation built the playground on Tuesday. Edwards pitched in, too, and the playground was named in his honor. The event was also part of the Browns’ "Play 60" initiative and took place on Nickelodeon’s Wide World Day of Play.

"This playground will still be here once everybody goes home, and the kids here will get to enjoy this for a long time," Edwards said. "Anytime you can make a small, positive change in the community it’s a good thing and hopefully it will lead to other good things."

The Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP program recognizes players who are making a positive impact in their local communities. In 2007, Edwards was nominated for the NFL Neighborhood MVP Award, and was selected as one of 17 recipients. For each week of the 2008 regular season, a field refurbishment or playground will be built in honor of each NFL recipient in their team’s home city and a donation to the player’s charity of choice will also be made.

"Braylon has been great in the community, and that’s the reason we nominated him for this award," Browns director of community relations Renee Harvey said. "His Advance 100 Program has been great for Cleveland kids and he’s also been involved with several things around the holidays and encouraging kids to give back in their own communities."

The Famicos Foundation is an organization dedicated toward improving the quality of life within Cuyahoga County through neighborhood revitalization, affordable housing and integrated social services.

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