After spending weeks on display in front of Bloomingdale's in Chevy Chase, and months in storage, the journey of a little lighthouse ended on Friday at The National Center for Children and Families (NCCF) in Bethesda. The colorful playhouse now belongs to the homeless children living in the Greentree Shelter, the largest family homelesss shelter in Montgomery County.
Sandy Spring Builders, Pro Build, and Studio Z Design Concepts designed and built the children's playhouse to donate to Rebuilding Together, an organziation that provides repairs and renovations to low-income homeowners. At a fundraiser in May, Town of Somerset Mayor Jeffrey Slavin, Montgomery County Community Foundation's 2011 Philanthropist of the Year, bid on the playhouse on behalf of his 91-year-old father, a former sailor. The Slavins donated the lighthouse to NCCF. Dr. Sheryl Brissett Chapman, NCCF's Director, says the lighthouse is more than a place for the kids to play–it will serve as a symbol of hope for children whose families are trying to find their way.
