NILES, Ohio (WKBN) — An 8-year-old boy was recently named a winner of the Imagination Creation Contest, where the playhouse he designed helped raise over $165,000 for the Akron Children’s Hospital.

Dakota Moore, a third-grade student at Ohio Virtual Academy, was named a winner of the Imagination Creation Contest, a drawing competition put on by Eastwood Mall in Niles, for children ages 6-14. The contest required participants to draw a design for the best playhouse they could dream up. After reviewing the submitted drawings, a panel of judges selected Moore and nine other young artists as winners of the contest.

Moore’s artwork was built into a real-life playhouse that was auctioned off, helping to raise over $165,000 for the Akron Children’s Hospital.

“I was inspired to draw an igloo because I wanted to incorporate my favorite animals — penguins, polar bears and walruses. I also wanted to draw something that would remind people about global warming,” Moore said. “I had a lot of fun making my drawing and I was thrilled when I found out I had been chosen as a winner. It was so cool to see my igloo come to life and I’m glad it will help the hospital care for children in need.” 

Using the winning designs as inspiration, local contractors built real one-story playhouses which were displayed in Eastwood Mall over the summer and placed in an online auction.

Bidding for Moore’s igloo playhouse started at $5,500 and, alongside the other playhouses, helped raise over $165,000 which was donated to the Akron Children’s Hospital.