Fourteen teams of volunteers assembled at Fifth Third Stadium Wednesday to “build little houses for bigger houses” with Habitat for Humanity’s Playhouse Project Blitz Build.
Twenty-seven local companies, and one crowdsourced team, raised $3,000 or more for each house they planned to build. Habitat assigned a child to each team and included a little bit of information about their personality. Armed with these mini-profiles, the first half of the teams had four hours to assemble the playhouses that would be gifted to the families later in the afternoon.
Ordinarily, Habitat just requires participants to wear safety glasses, but this year, staff and volunteers checked masks and temperatures at the stadium entrance. Other than the public health precautions, the Maumee Valley organization’s largest annual fundraiser looked a lot like it did in pre-pandemic conditions, with local children and families at the heart of the day’s work.
Libbey CEO Mike Bauer, whose volunteers built two playhouses Wednesday, said the event reflects the glass manufacturer’s “purpose-driven culture.” Mr. Bauer noted that the Blitz was so popular at his company that they had a lottery to determine who would be able to participate.
Corporate engagement has been a popular and successful way to grow Habitat, Executive Director Michael McIntyre said. He said the Blitz — which has now replaced a Habitat golf tournament as the organization’s largest fundraising event — has been a great way to bring corporations into the fold.
“We’re a growing organization and the need in our community for affordable housing is incredible,” Mr. McIntyre told the Blade. “In Ohio, one-third spend more than half their income on housing … this playhouse project generates over $100,000 that goes back into the housing program which will be spread across our different builds.”
Not all of today’s teams were corporate sponsors, though.
Susie Gdowik is team captain of “Peace, Love, and Lollipops,” a group of eight social-justice minded former coworkers and friends whose goal is to “[make] the world better one sweet act at a time.” She and her friends were able to crowdsource the funds to participate in the Blitz within one weekend via Facebook, Ms. Gdowik said.
The team — whose shirts featured a peace sign, a heart, and a lollipop — said that they wanted to incorporate their child’s love for performing into the playhouse. The finished house is complete with costumes, a stage, and a curtain ready to welcome a budding star.
Kaya Collins, whose daughter Trinity marveled at her new playhouse from Gdowik’s team, said that the women outdid themselves, 1000 percent.
“I’m holding back tears right now,” Ms. Collins said. “They thought about the details and they brought it to life; that’s what makes it beautiful. And it was built by all women and that’s even better, girl power.”
These women aren’t done with Habitat yet though. They plan on painting patriotic-themed picnic tables for the Solheim Cup, an international women’s golf tournament that will take place in Toledo over Labor Day weekend.
On the opposite wing of the concourse, team Marco’s Pizza delivered an outdoorsy playhouse for Oscar and Shephard Castillo. The boys’ mother, Taylor Castillo, commented that the playhouse fit in perfectly with the family’s personality and activities. She said the volunteers couldn’t have done a better job.
Habitat plans on building four new houses and completing four home rehabilitation projects this year.
First Published May 26, 2021, 10:22 p.m.