ROCHESTER, NY— Goodwill of the Finger Lakes has donated hundreds of plush toys to The Strong National Museum of Play for “Build-a-Scare,” an activity offered in the museum’s Play Lab from October 26 to November 1. Guests can take the toys apart and recombine them to create frightful (or cuddly) new creations to take home. The donation supports Goodwill of the Finger Lakes’ sustainability campaign, which encourages people to upcycle discarded materials into new, usable items.
“We’re grateful to Goodwill of the Finger Lakes for giving these materials a second life and our guests a chance to create their own one-of-a-kind ‘Franken-monsters,’” says Hanae Weber, public programs manager at The Strong. “It’s a fun, imaginative activity, but it also reflects something important about play: when children and adults experiment, take things apart, and put them back together in new ways, they build creativity, confidence, and problem-solving skills.”
The Build-a-Scare activities will run in the museum’s Play Lab from October 26 to November 1 during regular hours. They will also be available during the museum’s annual Toddler Trick-or-Treat and first-ever Trickz 4 Treatz 18+ Halloween events on Friday, October 30, and Family Halloween programming on Saturday, October 31.
“Goodwill is where your donated items start new lives, supporting individuals and families across the region through Goodwill’s mission impact services. For items that don’t sell or have been well-loved, we are committed to ensuring they are first considered for responsible repurposing that creates value for people and the environment,” said Jennifer Lake, President & CEO of Goodwill of the Finger Lakes. “Goodwill is also a Halloween destination, and this partnership with The Strong is a creative way to teach about reuse and repurposing in a fun and inclusive way.”
For more details on the “Build-a-Scare” activities, please visit museumofplay.org. For information on Goodwill of the Finger Lakes sustainability initiative, please visit goodwillfingerlakes.org.
About The Strong
The Strong is the only collections-based museum in the world devoted solely to the history and exploration of play. It is home to the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, the National Toy Hall of Fame, the World Video Game Hall of Fame, the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, the Woodbury School, and the American Journal of Play and houses the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of historical materials related to play.
About the Goodwill of the Finger Lakes
A 501(c)(3) charitable organization, Goodwill of the Finger Lakes positively impacts the lives of more than 179,000 people each year through its mission: Elevating people, community and planet for a good today and better tomorrow. Headquartered in Rochester, New York, the organization’s unique social enterprise model takes an innovative approach to sustainability, workforce development and job creation opportunities for individuals with barriers to employment while also generating revenue to support its many community impact programs and services. Goodwill’s community impact programs include Goodwill Vision Enterprises (formerly ABVI, Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired), 211/LIFE LINE, workforce development, 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and Goodwill Learning Academy, with a long and successful history of providing essential services to the Finger Lakes region. The organization’s more than 850 individuals use their passion and expertise to find innovative solutions to address pressing social needs. Learn more at goodwillfingerlakes.org.
