Playhouse Auction Raises More than $114,000 for Rebuilding Together Montgomery County

CHEVY CHASE, Md., June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Thursday, May 31, 2012 Rebuilding Together Montgomery County (RTMC) held the first event of its kind at the popular Shops at Wisconsin Place in Chevy Chase, Maryland. This event is part of a unique fundraising initiative called Rebuilding Hope: The RTMC Playhouse Project, and is based upon eight one-of-a-kind playhouses that were each designed and donated by the area's leading builders to help support RTMC and its mission of creating safe and healthy homes for low income and disabled individuals. At the end of the night, more than $114,000.00 was raised for RTMC, $53,500.00 of which was raised from the sales of the playhouses alone.

A surprise visit from the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service's Station # 6 kicked off the evening. Firefighters, led by Battalion Chief Jim Resnick, came to support Anthony Wilder Design/Build and their fire truck playhouse ("AWDB Engine #7913"), by parking 2 large red fire trucks and an official SUV on Western Avenue at The Shops of Wisconsin Place.

"It was a pleasure being able to support the team at Anthony Wilder Design/Build (AWDB) and Rebuilding Together Montgomery County," said Battalion Chief Jim Resnick. "A wonderful partnership between our fire department and the team at AWDB has emerged from the RTMC Playhouse Project. We really admire and respect the firm's dedication to giving back to the community."

The event opened with a greeting from Scott Whittier, Board President of Rebuilding Together Montgomery County, followed by opening remarks from the Emcee, Jeffrey Slavin. Slavin, who was named Montgomery County Philanthropist in 2011, is the Mayor of Somerset, Vice President of Sanford and Doris Slavin Foundation and President Broker at CJ O'Shaughnessy. Susan Hawfield, Executive Director of RTMC, gave remarks prior to the live auction encouraging guests to not only think of the children in their lives who would enjoy their own playhouse, but to also consider the families that would benefit from the proceeds.

Other local notable figures included:

• Jane Fairweather of The Jane Fairweather Team
• Congressman Van Hollen's Representative, Alex Wong
• Commissioner Theresa Testoni, from the Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism
• Battalion Chief Jim Resnick from the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service Station #6

Patrick O'Neill, the event auctioneer, led the live auction and drew the winner of a raffle basket containing more than $6,500 worth of specialty items. The first playhouse that was auctioned off was Anthony Wilder Design/Build, Inc.'s "Engine # 7913," an iconic fire truck inspired by the architectural design/build firm's historic Cabin John based office...the former Cabin John fire station from the 1930s.

The fire truck was the highest selling playhouse that evening, raising $17,000 for RTMC. The winning bidders, Sonya and Tom Ricketts, announced that they are going to donate the fire truck to the Children's Inn at NIH in collaboration with the team at Anthony Wilder Design/Build.

"It has always been a dream of mine to see the AWDB fire truck find a home where many children can enjoy it," stated Elizabeth Wilder, President and co-owner of Anthony Wilder Design/Build, Inc. We are incredibly blessed to have such generous friends and clients and I couldn't think of anything better than having our fire truck go to the playground at The Children's Inn at NIH."

At the end of the night, an astounding $53,500.00 was raised in sales from the playhouses alone - all of which will go directly to RTMC to help the non-profit housing organization and their volunteers make home repairs to families and individuals in need. For more information, please visit www.rebuilding-hope.org.

For more information about Anthony Wilder Design/Build, Inc., please visit www.anthonywilder.com or call 301.907.0100.

SOURCE Anthony Wilder Design/Build, Inc.