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Zach Gibbs knows an awful lot about Legos for a seven-year-old. He can tell you that the largest Lego set is a world map with over 11,000 pieces, and the second largest is the set that makes a five-foot-tall Eiffel Tower. However, his favorite is the third largest, the Titanic set, which he said would probably sink like the real thing.
“Legos are pretty much a very famous set,” the Hollister resident said, “One I did was a tiny race car set with two cars racing. They are little blocks you can connect together, and they give you instructions on what you’re supposed to build. ”
There are 10 LEGOLANDS worldwide that act as magnets to fans. Gibbs has been to the 128-acre Carlsbad park before, but he was two years old and slept through the experience. Now he has set his sights on returning and is not letting anything get in the way of his dream, even the $2,240 it would cost the family to take the trip.
“Zach decided that he wanted to start saving up to go,” said his mother, Larissa Gibbs.
“He wanted to pay the way for everyone to go with him and asked how much it was. And he’s been making things to sell ever since.”
Going with Larissa to the popups and markets she attends with her business, Connected by a Thread, he sells his bookmarks, keychains, worry worms, necklaces, ornaments and other crafts for a dollar or two apiece under the name “Zack’s Creations.”
“This is pretty much my best idea,” he said. “Big ideas for big money.”
What makes the effort behind Zach’s Creations even more impressive is that Zach is autistic and has sensory issues that make being around people a challenge.
“He doesn’t like crowds,” Larissa said, “which is really hard for him. If there are a lot of people in my booth that we don’t know, you won’t see him. He hides under the table.”
However, Zach has been able to handle a few people at a time and is responding more comfortably to pressure.
“He doesn’t say, ‘Do you want to see what I make?’’’ she said. “He tells them, ‘I know what you want to buy.’ I love that he’s getting out and interacting in the community, learning these social interactions.”
Zach’s biggest selling item is his bookmarks, covered in stickers that can be colored, and crafts like Perler Beads, which require more exacting work.
“He has a coordination disorder,” Larissa said, “so that kind of fine motor movement is difficult for him. He burns out easily.”
Will Zach make it to LEGOLAND? He is not a BenitoLink reader, so I can safely reveal that the family trip is secretly scheduled for after the first of the year to coincide with his birthday. The proceeds from his sales will go towards more Legos and souvenirs at the park’s gift shop.
“It wasn’t that we needed to save the money,” Larissa said. “It was that we needed him to be able to use the tools he has at his disposal to navigate the crowd, to use his headphones and tell us when he needs to take breaks.”
In anticipation of the trip, Zach has been watching “millions” of YouTube videos showcasing LEGOLAND’s splendors, which helps keep him focused on his work.
“Everything there is made of Legos,” he said. “There are statues you can sit next to and have your parents take a picture of you. You can drive around in a little car, and it brings you up and drops you down. It’s probably going to be really good.”
Zack’s Creations will be showcased at Connected by a Thread’s upcoming events, which can be found on Facebook and Instagram.
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