It’s that time of year again: get ready to light your imagination’s fires and kick its tires for the third annual LEGO Expo at Silver Creek Elementary School (SCE).
The brainchild of John Duff, president of the Hope Ratepayers Association (RPA), LEGO Expo was designed in 2017 to raise funds for the playground upgrade at Silver Creek Elementary, which although priced at $100,000, was sorely needed.
That’s when the Vancouver LEGO Club (VLC), run by Duff’s son, Allan Corbeil, stepped up to the plate and brought the endless wonder of LEGO to Hope to raise funds for SCE’s playground.
“The equipment and structures themselves are expensive because (not only are) they specially designed to accommodate children of all abilities, (but) they must also be able to endure the weather and repeated usage on a daily basis,” wrote Sharlene Harrison-Hinds in an article about the event published on Mar. 17, 2017.
And “the tie-ins between LEGO and the playground … are obvious,” she added. “Both are about construction, (and) providing children a way to create and have fun—indoors and out.”
However, through the dedicated work of the community at events like LEGO Expo, SCE’s playground has been updated to the pleasure of its more than 150 students. So this year’s fundraising efforts will go toward enhancing the school’s library and music programs, which need a boost, and Park Street Manor, which is an independent living complex for senior citizens.
“And they really need so much help,” said Shirley Corbeil, secretary treasurer for the Hope RPA. “There are 22 rooms and every room needs something done.”
Held on Saturday, March 16, from 10:30 a.m. til 3 p.m., Corbeil says this year’s Expo will be as fun as previous years, with something there to delight the entire family.
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“There are really incredible LEGO displays, huge totes of LEGO to play with, and a super green screen will be there,” explained Corbeil, who continued, “You never see cellphones (at the event as) even grown men and RCMP officers are busy playing LEGO with the kids.”
Admission to the Expo is by donation, which Corbeil says allows people to be “as generous as they can be,” but at the same time, the RPA “hopes (they’ll) do better this year than last,” which brought in almost $2,000 in a single day.
In addition to door prizes drawn the day of, Corbeil says the local Royal Canadian Legion branch will also be hosting a meat draw and supper event on Friday, March 15, with the proceeds going to “to help us help others.”
For more information about the Hope Ratepayers Association, please visit their Facebook page, Facebook.com/DOHRatepayers, or call 604-869-9439.
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