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.
Laying the Foundation for the Future: Workforce Development at the Arizona Masonry Council
July 2026

For generations, masonry has been built on a simple but powerful principle: knowledge passed from one set of hands to the next. In Arizona, the Arizona Masonry Council (AMC) is working to ensure that tradition continues by investing in one of the industr

Dawn Rogers
Industry News
Read More
What Mason Contractors Don't Know Is Costing Them Money
July 2026

Most mason contractors can tell you exactly what a job should cost before it starts. Bid labor hours, material takeoffs, and crew rates per square foot. The numbers are on paper, and they look right. What most can't tell you is whether those numbers held

Erin Koets
Build Smart
MAP Partner
Read More
Preserving Masonry Aesthetics with Concealed Lintel Systems
July 2026

Masonry has long been valued for its ability to create buildings with character, permanence, and visual appeal. Features such as arches, deep reveals, corbelling, and decorative brickwork continue to be popular design elements in modern architecture. Howe

Erica Oliveraz
MAP Partner
Read More
The Sync Up: Aligning Schedule, Labor, and Logistics in Masonry
July 2026

A masonry contractor is only as good as the crew standing on the staging. You can source the highest-grade block, line up the perfect mix, and have every submittal approved weeks in advance, but production ultimately depends on the stamina, skill, and phy

Shayne Sanders
MAP Partner
Sponsored
Read More