In conjunction with the York Home & Garden Show, YBA introduced the idea of a Barkitechture fundraiser, a competition between entrants for the best doghouse/dog bed design. Voting would take place during the Home & Garden Show and the dog houses would ultimately be auctioned off. Proceeds would benefit YBA’s WorkforceNOW program, and rescue organizations Echo Dog White Shepherd Rescue and Pitties.Love.Peace.
Unexpectedly, YBA member company T.C. Backer Construction stepped up in a big way by taking the initiative to build two handcrafted gazebos to be auctioned off for charity at the Home & Garden Show. The proceeds from one of the gazebos ($6,000) went to the charity of their choosing, The Harvest Transitional Living Program, Inc. Proceeds from the second gazebo were split between the WorkforceNOW program ($3,000) and the two rescue organizations ($3,000).
?We thought the Barkitechture fundraiser would give some of our member organizations & student groups an opportunity to show off their building skills by submitting fancy doghouses that would ultimately be auctioned off to the public. We did not expect a significant response since this was a new fundraiser and we were a little late in getting it started. We simply hoped to introduce the fundraiser at our Home & Garden Show and grow it in future years.? said YBA Executive Vice President Laurie Lourie. ?We were very touched by T.C. Backer’s willingness to jump right in with little time and support this effort in their own way by building two amazing gazebos! We are proud to have the extraordinary support of incredible member companies like T.C. Backer Construction who are committed to having a positive impact on the communities where we live and work.?
There were three dog houses entered into the Barkitechture competition. Home & Garden Show attendees voted for their favorite entry. The entries will be auctioned off at a future YBA event to benefit the selected charities.
YBA’s WorkfoceNOW program was created to shine a light on the many opportunities for fulfilling careers in the skilled trades available in the York County community. Its mission is to educate and empower students, parents, and teachers and serve as a resource for building partnerships and programs that make it easier for businesses to work with local schools to recruit and train the future workforce.
