Produce for Kids 2005

Lunchbox: 35" x 24" x 10"
Thermos: 8" x 8" x 20"

Last year I got to work my magic at the Produce Marketing Association's International Convention and Expo. This year I was happy to be asked back to build another LEGO structure for the Produce for Kids campaign.

After building a big portrait during the prior convention, I was ready to tackle a more complicated structure. This year's creation was the world's largest LEGO lunchbox. It measured about 3 feet wide and could hold about 530 juice boxes. It opened and closed and even had a working latch on top like a real lunchbox. I also made a large Thermos for the lunchbox as well as a healthy selection of produce, including an apple, a banana, a slice of watermelon and, because we were in Atlanta, Georgia, a peach.

I again had a fun time building for a produce-related audience, and again we brought a lot of traffic to the Produce for Kids booth as people kept wanting to see my progress throughout the week. I also learned a lot about produce. For instance, did you know that each person in the U.S. eats about 12.5 pounds of citrus per year? Or that the phrase "you are a real peach" originated from the tradition of giving a peach to the friend you liked? (I would like to note that no one has given me a peach today. Or ever.)

Produce for Kids is a campaign created by Shuman Produce, Inc. to bring the produce industry together to benefit kids through Children's Miracle Network.

December 2005