The Herald-Zeitung

Eight playhouses built by local businesses are on display today at the New Braunfels Civic and Convention Center. They will be auctioned off tonight from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Comal County Habitat for Humanity “Habi-tot Playhouse Jamboree.”

The event is sold out.

Sponsors for the event, including New Braunfels Title Company, Exit Realty New Braunfels, Bernard Donegan Insurance, First Commercial Bank, Hodell Window Coverings, Horizon Structural Systems, ReStore and Freedom Gardens, built themed playhouses that will be auctioned off at the event to benefit the housing construction efforts of Habitat for Humanity.

This is the third time Comal County Habitat for Humanity has hosted the event. They have been in Comal County since 1993, and so far have built 22 houses. Proceeds from the Jamboree go towards housing construction planned for 2010.

“Sponsorships were sold (playhouse materials) from April to August, and they had until the end of September to build them,” said Kandace Tornquist, executive director of Comal County Habitat for Humanity.

“We picked them up today from our ReStore (on 1269 Industrial Drive) and took them to the Civic Center exhibit hall,” she said.

Tornquist said a more than 175 people bought tickets for the event, which are no longer available, and local auctioning company Burely Auction Group is donating their services.

Cooper’s is donating barbecue.

A variety of groups and individuals buy the playhouses each year.

“We’ve had families, churches buy them. Some companies buy them for their work sites, I understand Schlitterbahn has one,” Tornquist said.