Annual event has serious impact for abused children

By Rosanne Lewis

Dallas CASA will celebrate the agency’s 30th annual Parade of Playhouses June 13 to 29 at NorthPark Center.

Parade of Playhouses, which features custom-built children’s playhouses, has become the agency’s signature event, spreading awareness about the needs of children in foster care and the transformative power of volunteer advocacy. Local architects, builders and organizations design, build and donate the playhouses, which are then displayed for 17 days at NorthPark Center and available to the public to win by raffle. This year’s event is sponsored by Crest Cadillac. Parade Grand Marshal is KDC. All funds raised go to support children who have experienced abuse or neglect.

Since the inception of Parade of Playhouses in 1996, 370 playhouses have been distributed with 11 more houses planned for this year’s event. The event began as a way to raise awareness about Dallas CASA, whose volunteers are community members trained to advocate for the needs of foster children in court. CASA volunteers are often a child’s only consistent, caring adult during a frightening time.

“The children our incredible volunteers serve don’t dream of backyard playhouses. They dream of simpler things — a home where they are safe, protected and loved,” said Kathleen LaValle, president and CEO of Dallas CASA. “But the playhouses represent something ingrained in all of us — a desire for a place to call home. That sense of home, acceptance and love is something we want for every single child.”

Dallas CASA Board Member Dave Kroencke, an advertising executive, brought the idea for the event to the Dallas CASA board in 1996.

“I couldn’t be prouder to have been part of the creation of Parade of Playhouses 30 years ago,” said Kroencke, one of the founders of Plot Twist Creativity. “It’s the perfect event — it brings awareness of Dallas CASA to the general public, serves as a recruitment tool for volunteers and donors and allows partner builders and architects to show off their creativity all while supporting a great cause. To see how it’s evolved and grown to be even more special is so fulfilling. I’m such a proud parent!”

Playhouses have run the full gamut of creativity, including castles, rocket ships, a movie theater, a car wash, a windmill, a barn, a submarine, a safari tent and many more. Some houses have challenged the boundaries of the definition of a house with bold modern designs that excite the senses. Other playhouses take a more traditional approach, with cozy cottages featuring details like metal roofs, hardwood floors, arched doors and full electrical. Some of the playhouses planned for the 2025 Parade of Playhouses include a gas station, a house inspired by Dr. Suess’ book The Lorax, a farmhouse and a house for cartoon character Bluey.

Throughout the years, some builders and their subcontractors have repeatedly returned. LRO Residential and Amy Butscher with Butscher Construction will both build their 16th house this year. LRO, a residential home builder in the Park Cities, builds the firm’s house in the yard or garage of a new build under construction, with subcontractors working on it as they have time. Butscher, who works in advertising, partners with her entire family, including her brother, who owns Butscher Construction, making their creative playhouses a family affair. Much of the event’s success can be attributed to NorthPark Center, which has hosted it for all 30 years. More than a million visitors see the Parade of Playhouses each summer.

“NorthPark Center has been with us since the beginning, and we couldn’t do this without them,” Kroencke said. “A 30-year partnership is very special.”

In 2024, Dallas CASA served 2,042 children removed from their homes due to neglect or abuse, with factors like poverty, addiction, instability and violence impacting their young lives. Judges assign Dallas CASA’s volunteers to ensure the educational, emotional and therapeutic needs of children are being met. 

Volunteers work closely with all stakeholders on the case, including the child’s family, caseworkers, attorneys, educators, medical professionals and more, to ensure the child can grow up both safe and loved.

“For us, we don’t see children, or their families as defined by their pasts or where they come from,” LaValle said. “Instead, we all see them as full of potential. We want all children to have the best possible chance to reach their full potential.”

Raffle tickets to win a playhouse can be purchased during the event for $5 each or five for $20 on the Dallas CASA website at dallascasa.org or at NorthPark Center. Winners will be randomly selected on the final day of the event on June 29.