The Savia Community Center in Newhall was turned into a workshop for “fairy shelters” Saturday, as volunteers supported the Domestic Violence Center of Santa Clarita Valley ahead of one of the organization’s biggest fundraisers.

Dozens of children and their parents worked hand in hand to make the tiny houses to be auctioned off Saturday, May 16, with the money benefiting the shelter.

The fairy shelters are in line with the center’s theme, which is “Domestic Violence is not a Fairy Tale,” said Linda Davies, Executive Director for the Domestic Violence Center.

Children from all over the Santa Clarita Valley, including student volunteers from Albert Einstein Academy,  came to decorate wooden houses that were donated by another community service organizations.

This event is a way to get the message out about domestic violence awareness in a non-threatening manner that doesn’t make people think that they are the victim, Davies said.

“When I came to the Domestic Violence three years ago, I found there was no joy even in our office, there was no joy amongst the staff,” Davies said. “I decided we should have events that say to the community, ‘You don’t have to be afraid… I know there is a lot of shame in (domestic violence), but let’s talk about it.”

Louis Avila and his 8-year-old daughter, Ashley, were at the event for a second year, “just to get involved with the community (and) get (my daughter) into knowing what it is like to help others… she actually wanted to do it again.”

For others, it was their first time at the event, “we’re here to supply housing and safe housing for people who need it,” said 10-year-old Megan Oseas.

“It helps put fun into what we do, and at the same time it helps build awareness in our community that there are people out there that need shelter and there can be fun ways to help other people out,” said Tiffany Suwa, office manager for the Domestic Violence Center of Santa Clarita Valley.

These wooden houses were made them by hand by Boy Scout Braxton Dula from Troop 58 for his Eagle Scout project.

“I got some friends from my troop and my brother’s troop to help build these last weekend,” Dula said. “It took us 6 hours… we made 106 (houses).”

In addition to the house decorating, a raffle was held for the chance to sit at a table with fairies and/or Peter Pan and a pirate at the Fairy Shelter Breakfast.

The houses will be auctioned off at the Fairy Shelter Breakfast on Saturday, May 16 at 9 a.m. at Hart Park in Newhall.

Tickets can be purchased on the Domestic Violence Center website, dvc-scv.com, calling into their office at (661) 259-8175, or by emailing [email protected]

Perry Smith contributed to this report.