Unique playhouses at The Lakes benefit kids

YOU MIGHT WIN IT FOR YOUR KIDS--Castle in the Sky, built by Shea Homes, is the 2006 Opportunity Playhouse. For a $2 ticket, you get a chance to win it. For the same amount, you can tour it. All proceeds will benefit a program to provide housing for the homeless. The display is open on weekends through Oct. 22 at The Lakes in Thousand Oaks, adjacent to the Civic Arts Plaza.

Proving that small things make big differences, four Southern California builders and one land- scape company have donated time and energy to construct the play- houses for Project Playhouse. It's sponsored by HomeAid Los An- geles/Ventura, a nonprofit of the Building Industry Association of Southern California that constructs and renovates dwellings for tran- sitionally homeless men, women and children.

All four one-of-a-kind play- houses are now on display at The Lakes shopping center in Thou- sand Oaks, thanks to New Urban West, Inc., Pardee Homes, Shea Homes and Lennar. To anchor the playhouses, Landscape Develop- ment Inc. donated lush landscap- ing for the playhouse village.

"Without these big hearted builders and landscape company, we wouldn't have a Project Play- house Village," said John Bailey, executive director for HomeAid LA/Ventura.

"These four builders and their countless trades make it possible for us to partner with care provid- ers to provide dignified housing for those that find themselves tempo- rarily homeless," Bailey said.

HomeAid helps with labor, ma- terials and services to build and renovate transitional housing for the temporarily homeless in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, a population counted at some 95,000 at any given time.

Guests pay $2 to tour the play- houses at The Lakes, which is ad- jacent to the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. The money will go to HomeAid.

For more information on spon- sorships, tickets, how to register as an auction bidder, or simply how to get involved in Project Play- house please visit the website at www.projectplayhouse.com or call HomeAid Los Angeles/ Ventura at (818) 874.9842 or e- mail homeaidpr@yahoo.com.