Parade of Playhouses begins August 6, benefits abused children

The playhouses will be raffled off to lucky winners, with money going to local charity Dallas CASA.

Magical Wardrobe by Winstead PC with Erin Nicole Parisi

DALLAS — The 2010 ORIX Parade of Playhouses at NorthPark Center, benefiting Dallas CASA, will take place August 6-22 in Dallas.

The 14th annual event will feature 17 children’s playhouses, all artfully created by local architects, designers, and corporations. As Dallas CASA’s signature annual event, Parade of Playhouses raises awareness about the critical need for volunteers to serve as voices in court for abused and neglected children in Dallas. Through sales of raffle tickets, sponsorships, and underwriting, Parade of Playhouses highlights the work of CASA volunteers and provides funding to recruit and train more advocates for children whose simple wish is a safe, permanent home.

This year’s playhouses include fire truck, a caboose, a florist’s shop, and a school house. The playhouses will be displayed at NorthPark Center August 6-22. All it takes to win a playhouse is to purchase a raffle ticket and drop it in the box next to the playhouse of your choice. Raffle tickets are $5 each or five for $20 and can be purchased at ticket tables at NorthPark throughout the playhouse exhibition. Tickets also may be purchased online at dallascasa.org. For online purchase, individuals may select the playhouses they want to enter to win. The drawing to announce the playhouse winners will take place during the closing ceremony at 4 p.m. on Sunday, August 22. Winners do not need to be present to win.

“Parade of Playhouses is an important opportunity not only to give children a chance to win an amazing playhouse, but also to help connect abused children in our community to the safe, loving homes they deserve,” ORIX USA President and CEO Jim Thompson said. “As a Dallas-based corporation, ORIX is proud to join Dallas CASA in standing up our most vulnerable children, those who have been abused and neglected.”

Painter’s Truck by The Sherwin-Williams Company

One of the benefits of Parade of Playhouses is the opportunity to recruit more volunteer advocates to serve abused and neglected children in Dallas. On any given day in Dallas County, nearly 2,000 children are living in foster homes and are waiting for the courts to decide where they may safely live. Sadly, Dallas CASA currently serves less than one-third of the children in protective care in Dallas County.

For many children a CASA volunteer is the one constant during a frightening, uncertain time. More volunteers are needed to ensure that every child has a CASA voice in court. CASA volunteers and staff will be on-hand during the Parade of the Playhouses to provide information about how to volunteer to help abused and neglected children.

Source: Dallas CASA