Bobby Labonte Lends "Helping Hand" to Local Elementary School

Driver Attends Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Revitalized Park

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (September 18, 2008) - When West Virginia's Pratt Elementary School needed funds to update its playground and shelter facilities, Hamburger Helper was there to lend a "helping hand." Courtesy of the Hamburger Helper "My Hometown Helper" grant program and Bobby Labonte, Pratt Elementary received $15,000 to make some much needed improvements to the children's park. Labonte was at Pratt Elementary today for the park's ribbon cutting ceremony that re-opened the revitalized recreation area.

The Hamburger Helper "My Hometown Helper" grant program winners were selected by a panel that reviewed applicants' essays of 250 words or less, describing how the grant would benefit their community project. Labonte served as a guest judge that helped determine the winners. Over $200,000 in grants has been awarded this year, including Pratt Elementary. Other grants have helped communities purchase new band equipment, fund a tornado warning system, among other projects.

"I read a lot of essays, and they all were very worthy causes," said Labonte. "It was tough to select just a few of them, but when I read the entry from Pratt Elementary, I knew that one had my vote. The folks at Pratt described how important their school was to their area and how much the park was used by the community. It's used by families on weekends and for gatherings of all kinds. It's really a hub for the town.

"Apparently, a lot of the equipment was falling apart," continued Labonte. "It was unsafe for the kids to play on and it needed to be updated. I was really excited for the Hamburger Helper "My Hometown Helper" grant program to be able to restore the park."

Labonte attended the ribbon cutting ceremony at Pratt Elementary this afternoon. The driver of the No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge signed autographs and raced remote control cars against students and their families.

"The park is fantastic," continued Labonte. "They did a nice job on the equipment and especially the shelter. I hope that kids will have somewhere to play and families will have somewhere to gather for years to come. The project turned out great. I had a lot of fun meeting everyone today. It's nice to see how much the area values this school and how much they appreciated our help."

"Bobby Labonte continues to make a difference both on and off the race track," added Hyun Mee Graves, Marketing Manager for Hamburger Helper. "Our communities are incredibly important to us, and we are pleased to have Bobby Labonte's help in reaching out to more hometowns in need."

Hamburger Helper has been a meal favorite for busy families since it was introduced more than three decades ago - providing an easy, delicious one-skillet solution to the question, "What's for dinner?" Today, the Helper line has expanded to include Chicken Helper and Tuna Helper. There are more than 40 Helper flavors.