Craftsmen donate skills to build castle / LJWorld.com

Archive for Monday, July 10, 2006

July 10, 2006

On Friday, builders were busy placing the last stones and tiles on Douglas County CASA's latest playhouse creation.

It's a 12-foot, Renaissance-style castle, complete with turrets and drawbridge. The base boasts genuine stone masonry, and one turret sparkles with an Italian glass mosaic. The drawbridge and Juliet balcony are made from redwood.

When it comes to this castle, no expense was spared. But, with a $1 raffle ticket, anyone can win it.

Each year, Douglas County CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, raffles off an extravagant, one-of-a-kind playhouse.

Photo by Richard Gwin

Steve Koester of Koester Remodeling checks out the tile for the roof of the latest playhouse to be raffled off to benefit Douglas County Court Appointed Special Advocates. Koester was just one of several local craftsmen who donated time and resources to build the castle playhouse. The playhouse will be on display at several locations around town this week and next before a winner is chosen to take it home.

All the proceeds from the fundraiser go directly to CASA. Board member Margaret Morris said that the money helps train CASA volunteers. Those volunteers serve as court representatives for children who would otherwise have to go through the judicial process alone.

Many of the cases, Morris said, involve issues like termination of parental rights or the incarceration of the child's parent.

"They speak up for the child in court so that the judges and the people making decisions about these kids' lives know what the kids' perspective is," Morris said. "They're kind of a neutral voice that can say what is in the interest of the child."

In 2004, the CASA playhouse was a Japanese Zen sanctuary complete with sliding doors. The year before that, it was a whimsical yellow house fit for Dr. Seuss.

Ellen Casagrande, another CASA board member, calls the 2006 castle "pretty darn incredible" and gender-neutral.

"We wanted to have something that appealed to both boys and girls," Casagrande said.

Morris said the castle is the organization's best yet.

"It's so sweet. This is definitely my favorite one," she said.

The CASA playhouse will be on display around town before the raffle:

Prices for tickets for the CASA castle playhouse are $1 for one chance to win, $5 for eight chances and $10 for 20 chances.

Tickets are available through the Douglas County CASA office in the courthouse, 1100 Mass., beginning Wednesday.

The winning ticket will be selected July 22. The winner does not have to be present to win.

¢ 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, South Park

¢ 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, M&M Office Supply, 623 Mass.

¢ 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Wal-Mart, 3300 Iowa

¢ 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 17-19, Community Mercantile Co-Op, 901 Iowa. Raffle tickets sold at the store during business hours.

¢ 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 20, Sidewalk Sale, Massachusetts Street, exact location not yet confirmed.

¢ 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. July 22, Lawrence Farmer's Market, 800 block of New Hampshire Street.

Discussion

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10 July 2006
at 11:38 a.m.

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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

I want one but the kid next door would just tear it up
10 July 2006
at 7:45 p.m.

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Wilbur_Nether (Anonymous) says…

Not after Jan 1 '07. Then they'll be tremblin' in their boots that you may just have a concealed carry license.

It's true! I read it right here in these forums. Multiple times over several years!!
11 July 2006
at 3:39 p.m.

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twbenson (Anonymous) says…

I want one of those, too! I could give it a view of Pike's Peak.