Clayton Builds Pirate Ship Play Structure for Children’s Facility

More than 100 team members from Clayton Crossville Lux® Windows, with the help of other Clayton facilities and local businesses, recently donated over 300 volunteer hours to build a huge, two-story tall pirate ship play structure. The pirate ship was donated to Cumberland Children’s Center, better known as the House of Hope, a children’s transitional living facility in Crossville, Tennessee.

A Mission Anchored in Care

House of Hope, founded in 2004, provides temporary shelter for local children removed from unsafe home environments. Last year alone, House of Hope temporarily housed 177 children.

Traditionally, stays lasted one or two nights, but since COVID, children have been staying longer due to fewer available foster homes. This shift highlighted the need for a space at the house where kids can get some exercise and enjoy outdoor play.

From Blueprint to Reality

Crossville Lux Windows had previously partnered with House of Hope on other projects, including their annual Angel Tree® fundraiser, but the pirate ship was by far their biggest undertaking yet. Many people helped get the project off the ground, notably:

Spencer Bramlette, a manufacturing process engineer at Crossville Lux Windows, sourced plans online for the massive ship and divided the project into manageable sections.

Kevin Howey, production supervisor at Crossville Lux Windows, managed the volunteer schedule for the dozens of volunteers.

Team members at the facility raised several thousand dollars through donations and a variety of creative fundraisers.

Wil Johnson, general manager at Clayton Supply® Birmingham, and team coordinated with Free State Lumber, who donated the lumber for the build.

Local contractor Mike Cooper of Mike Cooper Construction, who works with Clayton Homes® of Crossville, donated his services to clear the land.

Nick Bohannon of CMAC Excavating and Construction donated his services to install drainage and build a retaining wall to prevent rain washout.

Navigating the Journey

Led by Spencer and Kevin, the teams spent nearly four months of volunteer time constructing the ship in sections at the Clayton facility and assembling it on site at the House of Hope. To invoke a shipbuilding theme, Mick Ingleston, general manager of Crossville Lux Windows, noted that the project at times was a bit of a “journey through stormy seas.” One challenge was the removal of a skunk who decided during construction to take up residence inside the pirate ship’s slide, giving the volunteers an unexpected surprise!

The Ship Sets Sail

The pirate ship, festooned with balloons, was officially donated to House of Hope on October 31, 2025, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by House of Hope officials and staff, Clayton team members, local press, and even a couple dressed as pirates! Inside, the ship was decorated with pictures drawn by children staying at the House of Hope and a pirate treasure chest donated by General Manager Amanda Hill and team at Clayton Addison Distribution.

Denise Melton, executive director of House of Hope, thanked the Clayton team for giving kids a play structure on which to laugh, climb and imagine. She said, “We encourage outdoor play because these children don’t often get these experiences. This was needed but beyond our means, an answered prayer.”

Ingleston summed up the experience by saying, “I’m immensely proud of the team and local contractors who have helped us support the House of Hope. The positive impact this will have on the young kids passing through the facility will ripple for years.”

We’re grateful to Clayton Crossville Lux Windows team members and the many additional supporters of this project for offering joy to children who need it most.