Sand Castle to the Sun – New World Record
An event for the initiative to sponsor Camp Sunshine to create the World’s Tallest Sand Castle has been held from September 1 to 3 2007 with goals for a 35 foot sand castle, at Point Sebago Resort in Casco, Maine, next to Camp Sunshine. The result culminated with a highly elaborate castle that reached 31 feet, 7 inches, beating the previous record of 29 feet, 3 inches in 2003.
Photo Camp Sunshine
It took more than 1,000 people and just under a million pounds of sand requiring 40 dump trucks to create a sand castle of mammoth proportions over the summer since June 30th.
Photo Camp Sunshine
Photo Camp Sunshine
Ed Jarrett spent the summer building the ‘Castle to the Sun’ to raise funds to aid Camp Sunshine, who was also a contributor to the previous sand castle world record. The data will be sent to the Guinness Book of Records, who will determine its authenticity to make the new world record. If you’re near the area there’s still time to attend the event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with entry at $5 per car. Sand Castle to the Sun Construction
Ed Jarrett at his world record 31 foot, 7 inch high sand castle,
Saturday, September 1 2007. AP Photo / Robert F. Bukaty
Sebago Technics “official surveying & engineering” firm for the
Guinness World Record attempt. Photo Camp Sunshine
Photo Camp Sunshine
Photo Camp Sunshine
The One Grain of Sand to Castle in the Sun Guinness World Records event was initiated to benefit Camp Sunshine, a national retreat for children with severe illnesses and their families.
Vandals partially toppled a 15 foot sand castle last Wednesday, knocking down its 6 foot spire on Wednesday, that was built to create interest in the new world record attempt, reported MSNBC.
Two unidentified white men were seen on a store’s surveillance tape knocking the top off of the sand castle at the Kittery Trading Post — one of the event’s sponsors.
“When the sandcastle was vandalized it was heartbreaking for all the employees of Kittery Trading Post and the customers who have been coming by daily to support Camp Sunshine.” Jon Morrill, Vice President of Retail for Kittery Trading Post said in a press release.
Joe Simpson, Director of Loss Prevention for Kittery Trading Post, reported the value of the destroyed sculpture to be $8500.
A small castle to test the sand and create interest
Photo Camp Sunshine
Photo Camp Sunshine
Photo Camp Sunshine
Photo Camp Sunshine
Photo Camp Sunshine
Ed Jarrett will return to Kittery Trading Post on September 7 and 8 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to remold the sand pile into an animal for children to enjoy.
“The remolding will be during our annual Septemberfest event where we expect huge crowds and we hope the public will support Ed in his endeavor.” Julie-Lynn Belon, events manager for Kittery Trading Post said.
Kittery Trading Post works with Camp Sunshine on numerous projects throughout the year to help educate the public about what they do for the kids and their families, Morrill said.
If you aren’t able to make the event, you can watch via the Webcam, although it wasn’t working when I attempted earlier today. But you can still see the webcam’s location on Google Maps.
Camp Sunshine
Camp Sunshine is nestled along the shores of Sebago Lake. The organization offers respite, support, joy and hope to children with life threatening illnesses and their immediate families through various stages of a child’s illness.
The camp is the only program in the US whose mission is to address the impact of a life threatening illness for every member of the immediate family – from the ill child to their parents and siblings.
Camp Sunshine has provided a haven for more than 23,000 people.
Families with a child diagnosed with diseases such as cancer, kidney disease, lupus, solid organ transplants, and other life threatening illnesses attend one of the week-long camps. The focus is to alleviate the strain that a life threatening illnesses place on both the ill child and their family. Families have an opportunity to rebuild their relationships together and meet other families facing similar challenges.
Services at the camp include accommodations and meals, onsite medical services, counseling services, and recreational facilities. Each family stays in their own suite where they’re provided daily breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.
Camp Sunshine is staffed almost entirely by volunteers, many of whom return year after year.
The medical facilities include a hospital with full-time emergency room physicians and pediatricians only 25 minutes from the camp. A physician is located at the camp for the entire session so that families can be secure in the knowledge that the camp offers 24-hour onsite medical support.
Recreational games and activities include swimming, boating, archery, soccer and special events such as bonfires and cook-outs. They’re designed to cultivate family involvement, encouraging them to laugh and play as a group, which helps to build a new base that the family can take home with them when the camp is over to unite them during the darker times they’ll be up against.
Each family is sponsored by an individual, civic group, corporation, or foundation to spend a week at Camp Sunshine free of charge, which runs year-round. The Family Sponsorship Program for 1 family to participate in the week-long curriculum is $1,500.
Bereavement groups are also offered for families who have lost a child to an illness.
A Child’s Wish
Each child creates a ‘wish boat’ at Camp Sunshine during arts and crafts sessions. The boats are let loose on Sebago Lake on the last evening of camp. During the ceremony, each child expresses their most cherished hopes and dreams in a wish. Some wish out loud while others wish silently as they watch their boats, each bright with candlelight, drift out on the lake. Photo Sosij
Some wishes children have made:
“I wish I never have to go back in the hospital.”
“I wish I could stay at Camp Sunshine forever.”
“My wish is: I wish my mom didn’t worry so much about me,”
“I wish my little brother would get over his cancer.”
“If I go to heaven, I hope my Mom and Dad are not sad.”
Donate
Camp Sunshine relies on voluntary donations and fundraising events to provide their programs free of charge. You may be able to deduct some or the entire amount of your donation for tax purposes.
You can donate to their cause on their website, or contact them by email, by phone: (207) 655-3800 or Fax: (207) 655-3825. Camp Sunshine is located at 35 Acadia Rd, Casco, ME 04015.
Related stories:
Sensational Sand Sculptures – Hampton Beach Competition
King Tooth Pulls Train with Teeth – New World Record
New Worlds Tallest Man
WOW! What a great cause! I love sandcastles. What an incredible story! Thanks for sharing this great cause!
Amazing sandcastles for a very worthy cause…Deborah…
Thanks Laura and Kim. I wasn’t aware of their organization until the world record event was reported and researched it better.
It seemed that the cause was being lost in the event itself, but a great way to express art to bring attention to it.
Imagine the bonds that are developed for such difficult times that families are enduring with such lasting memories from the experience, while also benefiting by counseling.
[...] stories: Worlds Longest Escalator Sand Castle to the Sun – New World Record King Tooth Pulls Train with Teeth – New World Record New Worlds Tallest Man Tags:African animal [...]
[...] Phone Call Title Held by a Man Zoo Claims Worlds First Penguin Crossing Worlds Longest Escalator Sand Castle to the Sun – New World Record King Tooth Pulls Train with Teeth – New World Record New Worlds Tallest Man Tags:bizarre Guinness [...]
It was an amazing sight! Our son and our family attended a session at Camp Sunshine and were so happy to go and help make one of the lower levels of the sand castle complete. It was so fun and to think.. it’s going to be in the Guinness Book of World Records!!! God Bless Ed Jarrett for raising money for Camp Sunshine the way he did. It truly is a wonderful place and I highly recommend it to families in need.. go! Your family will leave with a renewed strength to help with the challenges that lie ahead and you will make great friends who will offer you much needed support when you return home.
You were there for the event?! How exciting! It’s great to hear of something positive for a change
My family was honored to spend much of our week long vacation @ Point Sebago working on the castle. It is a memory we will never forget. My daughter Heather who is in the 3rd grade is in the process of doing her science fair project on the subject of sand. She is comparing sand from different beaches including Point Sebago and the san used to make the castle that was “mined”. She made castles in our sand box using the metheds she learned working this summer. Sand that was “mined” made the best and longest lasting castle. It lasted through 2 months of all kinds of weather (that was recorded daily).
Thank you for a truly rewarding experience and a great project. Camp Sunshine is truly a special place.