11th annual BVC Playground Build

Words: Margaret Foster2013 marked the 11th annual playground build for the BVC of Charlotte and Hidden Valley Elementary School was the proud recipient. Due to the generosity of dozens of Charlotte area companies, many of which contribute year after year, this community event continues to thrive.

With more than 100 volunteers, this year’s playground build for Hidden Valley Elementary was completed by 3 pm on April 17, 2013. The volunteers gathered in the school gymnasium for the 8 am kick off where team leaders were introduced and each volunteer assigned to their team. Teams are built to ensure that each section of the build is covered by the appropriate amount of volunteers. In 6 hours, these teams covert a large patch of dirt to a completed playground.

Sakrete, Inc., has been a proud sponsor of this community event since 2007. Sakrete partners with the Carolina Panthers who donates monetary contributions to the BVC through the Sakrete Sack Program. The total number of 2012 Panther sacks contributed $4,000 to this year’s playground build. In addition to the monetary contribution, Sakrete donated 225 bags of Sakrete Fast Setting Concrete Mix which was used to set the equipment in place. Sakrete also partnered with sister company Oldcastle Lawn and Garden to provide 3400 bags of Soft Landing Mulch.

The Sakrete Team looks forward to this event every year and encourages everyone to find a community service program in your area. Take a look at the progress of the day at www.sakrete.com.
The Science of a Straight Line: Why Masonry’s Smallest Decisions Make the Biggest Differences
September 2026

There is a unique phenomenon in construction: the human eye can spot an out-of-plumb wall from 50 yards away across a crowded job site. We might not always be able to explain the exact mathematical deviation without a laser level, but our brains instantly

The Utah Masonry Council's Masonry Education Day
September 2026

The 2026 Masonry Education Day at Interstate Brick in West Jordan is bringing together members of Utah’s architecture, engineering, and construction community for a day focused on education, technical understanding, and workforce development. The event r

MCAA Upstate New York: Regaining Market Share Through Education
September 2026

The Upstate New York chapter of the MCAA was established in 2014 by a dedicated group of both union and non-union masonry contractors, producers, and suppliers who shared concerns about the declining use of masonry. T

GEN NXT: Luis Sontay
September 2026

For this month, the MCAA got to sit down with aspiring mason Luis Sontay. From taking an interest in masonry as a kid to placing 1st in a postsecondary competition, Luis’ dedication and passion for the trade is clear. Luis describes his early passion fo