July 25, 2004

By: Shana Willox
Website: http://www.1st-in-toys.com

Boys & Girls Club of Boston donated Lego pieces to build a house

An inflatable boxing ring, a 9-foot 9-inch Lego house and 350 Boston University students filled the Sargent Gym Saturday night for the first Project Recess, a community service event sponsored by Hillel House and BU's chapter of Habit for Humanity.

The event raised more than $10,000 for numerous charities and was the result of a Hillel student board member's suggestion a year ago to build a Lego house, Hillel and Habitat Joint Committee Chairman Melissa Meyers said. It ended up drawing on the combined work of Hillel, Habitat and donations from local enterprises, she said.

What started out as a small idea grew because everyone wanted it to be big and successful, said Meyers, a College of Arts and Sciences senior.

Students used 57,000 Lego pieces, all of which were donated by Learning Express Newton and cost more than $8,000, to build the house. All of the pieces will be given to the Boys & Girls Club of Boston, a nation-wide charity that serves more than 8,000 Boston children.

Students began to arrive around 9 p.m., but the event hit its peak at around 11. Some returned to their childhood by jumping on the inflatable moonwalk and others played four-square or challenged their friends in the inflatable boxing ring.

In the mean time, a concentrated and enthusiastic group of students built the Lego house from the ground up to the beat of hip-hop, rock and techno.

Some students came to play just like they were back in elementary school.

I like to play with Lego blocks, said College of Engineering freshman Alexandra Mainzhausen, who was among the students who built the Lego house from start to finish.

The event marked Hillel and Habitats first collaboration. The two groups formed an 11-member committee back in October to prepare for the project, Meyers said. Funding came from the Dean of Students Office, the Student Union, the College of Arts and Sciences Forum, the College of General Studies Student Government and five grants from local businesses.

The committee also raised more than $2,300 in prizes, including Boston Celtics tickets and gift certificates for Giacomo and Rondi Salon, Health Works and Bertuccis, which were given away throughout the night.

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About The Author:

Shana Willox is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-toys.com.  Find fun kids educational toys and children’s wooden toys you enjoyed as a child.