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For the ninth year, Homes with Hope's Castles in the Sand Sand Castle Build-a-thon at Compo Beach will be a fantastic ogling opportunity. Stop by on May 15 to see one-of-a-kind sand structures emerge from sand piles. You'll be ooohing and aaaahing non-stop as you watch how deftly teams work, step by step, to pull together their creative plan. Somehow, these architectural crews manage to mold mountains of wet sand into intricate, humorous, amazing creations. And when you factor in how tricky sand is to work with and how little time they have to pull it off, well, they're geniuses.
This year the Sand Castle Build-a-thon takes place from noon to 4 p.m. (The rain date is May 16.) As in past years, money raised from sponsor/participants benefits Homes with Hope. This twenty-plus year old organization addresses the special needs and problems of homeless families and individuals as well as people at risk of becoming homeless in lower Fairfield County. To this end, it offers a continuum of services that starts with feeding the hungry through a Community Kitchen and Food Pantry and includes: emergency shelters, permanent affordable supportive housing, casework services, pre-employment training, and mentoring.
Local celebrity Guest Judges for May 15's Build-a-thon are, fittingly, Peter Cadoux (architect) and Miggs Burroughs (designer). At 4 p.m., they'll present awards, including the Peoples Choice Award. If you have the gumption to build your dream sand castle, lots are still available. Big Lots (10 X 10) go for $100 and allow up to four sand sculptors and Really Big Lots (20 X 20) can be had for a $300 contribution. Sponsorships are also available.
Participants receive complimentary water and ice cream from Joeys By the Shore and two free Castles in the Sand T-shirts with a Big Lot and four free shirts for every Really Big Lot. And they also receive the satisfaction that comes with building a risky, ambitious -- and fleeting -- creation. Though it'll have a short life span, the exhilirating sand castle building process -- and the benefit to Homes with Hope -- won't wash away any time soon. For more information, visit Homes with Hope's website.
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