Correspondent photo . Sean Barron ....Sisters Opal Wibowo, 7, left, and Lotus Wibowo, 5, of Boardman, look through the windows of their newly built and designed children’s playhouse at the event.

YOUNGSTOWN — Even though the holidays are a few months away, Autumn Fairbanks’ face lit up like a Christmas tree.

“I almost can’t believe it. This is everything they could have asked for or wished for,” the North Jackson resident said.

She was referring to a uniquely designed, constructed, painted and themed children’s playhouse for her daughters, Scarlett, 7, and Jocelyn, 8, whose faces told a similar story.

The girls’ pink-and-purple space, equipped with a small book rack, angled roof and windows with plant holders, was one of five such playhouses that were built during Habitat for Humanity of the Mahoning Valley’s second annual Project Playhouse on Thursday at Penguin City Brewing Co., 460 E. Federal St., downtown.

The building teams consisted of those who work for Hollywood Gaming Mahoning Valley Race Course, Vallourec, Dearing Compressor & Pump Co. and a group with Mercy Health Foundation and Thrivent Financial. Also making good use of hammers, nails, paintbrushes and other equipment were several students in Youngstown State University’s Sokolov Honors College.

“I’ve been crying even before they got here. I’m so happy that they will be happy with it,” said Roseann Fairbanks of Austintown, who is Jocelyn and Scarlett’s grandmother.

Also accompanying the family was the girls’ father, Mike Fairbanks.

“They’re going to be busy playing ‘pretend,'” Stefanie Janosik of Boardman said, referring to her nine children who received a playhouse that features a door that acted as a chalkboard on which their names were printed.

Inside is a small play kitchenette surrounded by complementary wallpaper.

Wood, nails, screws, paint and other equipment were used for the construction, though the centerpiece and common theme that threaded the five play structures was a desire on the part of the builders to give back to the community.

“This means a lot to me,” Matt Patrick, Dearing Compressor’s inside sales and warehouse coordinator for industrial products, said while taking a break from cutting roof shingles. “Over the years, I’ve volunteered for many organizations, fundraisers, military events, the food bank and organizations that help the needy.”

Patrick’s volunteerism spans about 20 years, so he didn’t hesitate to take part in Thursday’s playhouse-building efforts, he added.

Also, such play spaces are a fond throwback to the days when many children played hide-and-seek and took part in numerous other outdoor activities until called into the house at dusk, as opposed to spending inordinate amounts of time on their technological devices, Patrick observed.

“When I was a kid, our parents had to beg us to come in; now they have to beg them to go out,” he said.

Contributing to the community it serves also continues to be a significant part of Dearing Compressor’s core mission, so it was natural that the company’s field service team would jump at the opportunity to participate in building the playhouses, Becky Wall, the 80-year-old business’s chief executive officer, added.

“It’s incredibly important to give back to the community we’re in,” Erich Zimny, Hollywood Gaming’s general manager, said. “Anytime you can help a family in need, it’s incredibly powerful to see their reaction afterward. The families’ faces make it worth it.”

The business had seven or eight employees who gave their time for Thursday’s gathering, Zimny added.

Also happy to lend his hand at painting was Christian Nemeth, who works in Vallourec Star’s human relations department. He spent part of his time Thursday carefully and skillfully adding the fine details to a playhouse on which was the face of a cartoon character named Tales, from SEGA’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” franchise.

Beforehand, Habitat for Humanity partnered with United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley to identify the recipients for the playhouses. The finished products were the result of the colors and themes each family wanted, combined with the builders’ creativity, inspiration and designs to fit those themes, David Redig, Habitat’s executive director, noted.

“We’re all about home ownership. This is the first home for a child – their own personal home,” he said.

In addition, the yearly Project Playhouse effort aligns perfectly with Habitat’s mission, Redig added.

Last year, three playhouses were built, compared to nine this year – four of which were constructed a few weeks ago at Eastwood Field in Niles, he said.

Also, several United Way volunteers with trucks will transport the playhouses to their recipients’ homes.