Minden St. Jude Fire Company No. 1
This past weekend I had the chance to experience first hand behind the scenes of a charitable telethon. I totally admire all the work and volunteers that it takes to succeed in this endeavor. Minden, Louisiana has sponsored the St Jude’s Children’s Auction on Super Bowl Weekend for the past 36 years. I am told they raise more money than any other town in the United States in those four days for St Jude Children’s Hospital. Last year they raised over $850,000 and this year their goal is to top $1,000,000.
St. Jude Firehouse Double Door
Back during the summer, I was approached about furnishing children’s furniture for an ‘Olde Fire House Playhouse’ that was being built by the Minden Fire Department to be auctioned off during the St Jude Auction. The playhouse is electric on the inside, with a safety plug on the outside, allowing the homeowner to plug it in on their property. This awesome child size fire station comes completely wrapped in beautiful barn red with white vinyl siding with grey accents, including shutters on the 3 operating windows. The double front door allows a child-size vehicle to be driven inside with a side door for entering in and out. There are 2 outside lights with a pewter finish, vinyl wood flooring, and finished walls on the inside. A black metal ladder inside leads to the upper floor, where a stainless steel fire pole allows children to slide down the pole to the lower floor, landing on real fire hose wrapped around the bottom of the fire pole for a cushioned landing. Local artist, Vicki James, painted the inside with beautiful fire department themed paintings including an American Flag, Firemen bunker gear (jackets, pants, boots), children playing with nozzles, a
Babyiture Owners, Patricia and Edward Steele inside the St. Jude Firehouse Playhouse
Dalmatian dog, fire hydrants and nozzles, and much more. No firehouse is complete without a beautiful brass fire bell with lanyard for the children to ring. On the outside of the house, children will find a specially made real fire hose and nozzle to use to play firefighter!
Kidkraft's Fire Truck Toddler Bed & Fire Hydrant Table
To keep with the firehouse theme, I furnished the playhouse with durable, quality pieces from Kidkraft and Levels of Discovery. Kidkraft graciously donated the Fire Truck Toddler Bed, Firehouse Bookcase, and Fire Hydrant Toddler Table made of wood and sturdy construction. The toddler bed uses a crib mattress that is covered with a custom embroidered sheet. The side table has a drawer for storing important items and a shelf underneath. Levels of Discovery donated the Firefighter Rocker featuring cutout detail around a fire truck on the seat back and fire hydrant finials and ladder design arms. Babyiture furnished the Firefighter Table and Stools and the Firefighter Toy Chest and Bench Seat to help accessorize the playhouse. The Firefighter Table and 2 Stools
Levels of Discovery Firefighter Table and Stools
Levels of Discovery Firefighter Toy Chest with Bench Seat Seating
features a Firehouse storage box with working bell sitting in the middle of the table. The Firefighter Toy Chest with Bench Seat has a unique design with hydrant finials, a working bell and ladder design arms and a large sliding door opens for fire trucks and other vehicles to drive right up the ramp and into the fire station. All the furniture in this 10’ x 13’ playhouse creates a theme room that will keep children in awe for months. This playhouse is so unbelievable that your child may decide to move out of the house before he turns 18!
During Super Bowl Weekend this playhouse is being auctioned off at $10 per ticket. You can purchase your ticket at www.mindenstjude.com. The money goes to a great cause that has helped children from all over the country fight cancer. St Jude Children’s Research Hospital operates from donations from you and me.
