EIGHTY FOUR, Pa. (Aug. 9, 2018) – 84 Lumber held its first-ever building workshop for kids at its Middlesboro, Ky., store Saturday, Aug. 4. Nearly 20 children between the ages of 4 and 12 attended the event to build their own bird feeder. The company hosted the workshop to give local kids a chance to develop basic building skills and harness their creativity in a relaxed, engaging environment.
“The purpose of the workshop was to encourage kids to be original and to teach them the process and value of building something of their own,” said Amy Smiley, 84 Lumber’s vice president of marketing. “Our hope is that they’ll expand the skills and knowledge they acquired and apply them in the future.”
Several store associates were on hand to assist the young builders. Snacks and drinks were also provided during the three-hour-long workshop.
“The kids were engaged throughout the process and asked a lot of intelligent questions,” said manager Bryan Lynch. “They really took an interest in the project and were proud of what they accomplished. I loved seeing the excited look on their faces when they left with their bird feeders.”
To wrap up the festivities, 84 Lumber raffled off a new swing set valued at $1,000. The company hopes to turn the workshop into a new tradition that extends to other stores across the country.
“Based on the positive feedback we’ve received, we’d like to eventually roll out similar events at other locations and continue our mission of giving back to local communities,” said Smiley.