DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund Reclaims Land for New Liberty Park

* Dedication of Liberty Park signals Chrysler Group's commitment to Toledo and its communities

TOLEDO, Ohio, Oct. 4 -- Residents, bikers and power-walkers will enjoy a new park thanks to a partnership between the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund and the City of Toledo.

DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund has invested $250,000 to refurbish 15.4 acres of land near the Toledo Assembly Plant (home of the Jeep(R) Liberty) for the construction of the city's newest community park. The land was once part of the Willys Overland test track. Once the land was vacated, Chrysler Group and the City of Toledo met with local residents, and based on community feedback, partnered to create Liberty Park. Liberty Park will have pathways for bikers, skaters and space for cook-outs.

Frank Fountain, DaimlerChrysler Senior Vice President -- External Affairs and Public Policy (Auburn Hills), Thomas Maxon, Toledo Assembly Senior Manager -- Human Resources, along with Toledo Mayor Jack Ford and members of the City Council will attend the dedication ceremony held this afternoon.

"As a member of the Toledo community for more than 90 years, Chrysler Group is pleased that it can be a good neighbor and support the further development and improvement of city services for the benefit of all its citizens," said Fountain. "Chrysler Group has a tradition of making a difference in the communities in which we do business."

"We appreciate DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund's redevelopment efforts in the City of Toledo," said Mayor Ford. "The new park site is ideal and Chrysler Group's generosity and commitment to restoring this land into a usable space for recreation will benefit the community for years to come."

The land refurbishing is just the latest in a long, cooperative partnership with the City of Toledo. Through the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, the Company also has contributed to the Toledo Opera, provided sponsorship of the city library's childhood reading program, and established a $50,000 grant for scholarships to eligible high school graduate residents pursuing technical training programs. The Company has enriched the Toledo community by supporting the Toledo Jazz Festival, Toledo Museum of Art, Valentine Theatre and the Diamante Awards.

Chrysler Group's operations in the greater Toledo area include the Toledo (Ohio) North Assembly Plant, Toledo South (Ohio) Assembly Plant and the Toledo Machining Plant (Perrysburg, Ohio). Additionally, Toledo has been home to the Jeep brand since 1941 when the vehicles were built by the Willys Overland Corporation.

The DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, now in its 51st year, is the primary source of charitable grants made by DaimlerChrysler Corporation. The Fund annually supports hundreds of charitable organizations with an emphasis on community growth, arts and education, in the United States and increasingly throughout the world.