[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 110 (Wednesday, July 11, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9016-S9017]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING KIDS CROOKED HOUSE

 Ms. SNOWE. Madam President, today I congratulate Kids Crooked 
House, a tremendously innovative small business from my home State of 
Maine, which recently won Yahoo's Ultimate Connection Contest on June 
25. As a result, Yahoo will provide the company with a marketing prize 
package worth $100,000.
  The Kids Crooked House of Windham crafts custom playhouses for 
children throughout the country. What makes the Kids Crooked House so 
special is the attention paid to detail in creating the playhouses. 
These playhouses are by no means run-of-the-mill: each one is crafted 
based on the buyer's specification and design, and all are unique. They 
range from brightly colored houses with twisted roofs and walls to 
playhouses based on cartoons or movies.
  Glen Halliday, the owner of Kids Crooked House, opened his business 
in 2004 after facing a typical parental dilemma; namely, how to get 
kids away from the television and computer, and engaged in more outdoor 
activity. After searching for an affordable, yet original, playhouse 
for his children, he was unsatisfied. Mr. Halliday decided to take it 
upon himself to create a playhouse with an innovative twist. He 
designed a playhouse that was brightly painted, with oddly shaped sides 
and crooked windows. In light of his childrens' delight with the 
playhouse, Mr. Halliday determined that his product could appeal to 
numerous other children nationwide. Just last year, Mr. Halliday 
brought his idea to the Yarmouth Clam Festival in Maine, where the 
company received the Directors Choice trophy and garnered first place 
for the best small business float in the annual parade.
  Winning Yahoo's Ultimate Connection Contest opens the door for the 
Kids Crooked House's expansion. Mr. Halliday and operations manager 
Jeff Leighton are meeting with Ivanka Trump, daughter of Donald Trump, 
and several marketing executives for lunch in New York City, where they 
will be able to discuss the business and gain valuable advice on how to 
grow in the future. Over the next year, Kids Crooked House will 
continue to receive input and consultation from marketing officials.
  What is most exciting about this opportunity is Mr. Halliday's future 
plans for the company. Mr. Halliday is looking to increase employment 
by adding

[[Page S9017]]

more carpenters and to expand sales worldwide after receiving calls 
from throughout Europe and as far away as Pakistan. He hopes to begin 
production of ``crooked'' dog houses, but his ultimate goal is to build 
complete playgrounds for hotels and resorts.
  Clearly, Kids Crooked House has demonstrated a commitment to quality 
craftsmanship, which has not gone unnoticed. The company works by a 
mantra of ``If a kid can dream it, we can build it.'' What a wonderful 
perspective. It is always a pleasure to see small businesses with such 
a dedication to children, and having a company that fills such a 
specific niche in Maine is a boost to our State. The upcoming year will 
be an exciting and beneficial one for Kids Crooked House, and I wish 
everyone associated with the business continued success and many more 
smiling childrens' faces.

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