LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Bears running back Matt Forte will participate in a ceremony at the United Club at Soldier Field Tuesday to announce Eugene Field Park in Chicago as the grand-prize winner of the Staples “Dream Park Challenge with the Bears,” a park improvement contest involving 14 Chicagoland parks. 

Forte, who served as spokesman for the program, will join Bears senior director of business development Brian McCaskey and Staples district manager Rodney Westerhouse in presenting a check for $25,000 to representatives from Eugene Field Park. 

Matt Forte has served as the spokesman of the "Dream Park Challenge with the Bears."

Park officials intend to use the funds for much-needed renovations including a new scoreboard, stereo system and a digital projector. This is the third consecutive year that Staples and the Bears have teamed up for the “Dream Park Challenge,” which has awarded close to $150,000 in park improvements to 43 Chicagoland parks. 
 
Chicago area residents were invited to vote online at www.StaplesDreamPark.com for one of the 14 local parks to receive $25,000 toward park improvements. Eugene Field Park finished first in the contest with 125,171 of the 373,380 total votes cast. Second-place Nowell Park in Joliet will receive $10,000 and third-place Madison Meadow Park in Lombard will be awarded $5,000 for park improvements. The remaining 11 parks will each receive $500.
 
In other community news, Bears guard Roberto Garza will visit Bristol Elementary School in Bristol, Wis. Tuesday as part of the NFL “Take a Player to School” program. Garza will arrive in a limo at the winning student’s house and take him to school. During the visit, Garza will speak to students about the importance of good health and lead kids in fitness activities as part of the NFL’s PLAY 60 campaign, helping youth get 60 minutes of exercise a day. 

Defensive tackle Anthony Adams will dress up as Santa Claus and deliver toys to children at the American Brain Tumor Association’s annual holiday party Tuesday at Grazie Ristorante & Banquets in Des Plaines. Over 40 families from across the Chicago area will attend the party. The Bears have supported this event since 1999 by arranging for a player to don the Santa suit.
 
Also on Tuesday, wide receiver Rashied Davis is scheduled to visit Stowe Elementary School, guard Frank Omiyale will appear at Eberhart Elementary School and running back Kahlil Bell is scheduled to visit Ogelsby Elementary School in Chicago in support of the Bears School Outreach program.

Each Tuesday during the football season, Chicago Bears players visit Chicago Public Schools to speak to, motivate and interact with students. The theme for player visits is character development, goal setting, commitment to excellence and the importance of leading a healthy, active lifestyle. The Bears School Outreach Program, which is in its 12th season, benefits more than 7,000 students annually.
 
Guard Josh Beekman will join 700 students at Hubert H. Humphrey Middle School in Bolingbrook on Tuesday for a rally kicking off “Fuel Up to Play 60,” a new program that empowers students to make changes at school that will help them “get active and play” for 60 minutes a day and “fuel up” with critical nutrient-rich foods that are often missing from their diets. 

“Fuel Up to Play 60” is provided by the Midwest Dairy Council and the Bears and is part of a national initiative to promote healthy eating and physical activity by the NFL and National Dairy Council.