Children in the Jefferson City area received custom-built playhouses Saturday during River City Habitat for Humanity’s first Playhouse Build event at Capital Mall.
Local businesses, volunteers and community organizations spent the day assembling and decorating the playhouses. Each playhouse was designed around a child’s favorite colors, hobbies and interests.
The children and their families were presented with the finished playhouses at the end of the event.
River City Habitat for Humanity said the event was created to give children a special place to imagine and play while bringing the community together in support of the organization’s mission.
“A playhouse may seem like a simple structure, but to a child it’s a castle, a clubhouse, a fort, or a place where their imagination can come to life,” Susan Cook, the executive director of River City Habitat for Humanity, said in a news release. “We hope this becomes a tradition that our community looks forward to each year.”
Nine teams participated in the inaugural event, including Hitachi, Samco Business Products, Jefferson City Medical Group, the Home Builders Association, Capital City Business Builders BNI, Jefferson City Parks, Habitat Women Build and community volunteer teams.
Hitachi served as the event’s presenting sponsor.
“Our team was super excited about sponsoring it because we are giving back to the community and we are giving back to little people,” Leanna Ritter, a Hitachi Energy employee, said. “What’s better than little people?”
Scruggs Lumber donated the plywood used to build the playhouses, and Sherwin-Williams donated the paint.
River City Habitat for Humanity has partnered with local families, volunteers, businesses and community organizations since 1993. The nonprofit says it has helped build more than 138 affordable homes in the Jefferson City area.