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NYC LEGO Clubs

LEGO®s have been popular since their invention 80 years ago in a Danish wood shop by carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen. The company that produces LEGO® toys, the LEGO® Group, was founded in 1932 and is still run by Christiansen's grandchild, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen. It is now a global enterprise and the world's fifth largest toy manufacturer.

It comes as no surprise, with the popularity of LEGO®s, that clubs have sprung up all over the globe. New York is no exception. Besides the Official LEGO® Club, with several chapters in the area, there are two other major clubs worth noting. These groups focus on competitions centering on building national landmarks, robotics and trains.

Official West New York LEGO® Club
- The Official LEGO® Club raises "a fun time" to a whole new level with their in-store play areas. Local club members, their families and walk-in visitors can join the hands-on play in the Living Room at the center of the store, as well as in the separate children and adult areas. The store is organized so that each play area is defined by a particular decor.
  
  The Pick-A-Brick wall features bulk bins, where LEGO® pieces are sorted and sold by size, shape and color.
  
  The LEGO® Store
  Palisades Center
  3462 Palisades Center Drive
  West Nyack, NY 10994
  (845) 358-2222
  stores.lego.com/en-us/Westnyack/LandingPage.aspx
First LEGO® League &Junior First LEGO® League
- The Forrest Hills First LEGO® League &Junior First LEGO® League promote science exploration and technology through robotics competitions. Each year, teams are selected in both adult and junior competitions. Teams are chosen by the coaches and team size is based on the number of applicants. Each team is given eight to 10 weeks to design a project based on the current year's theme. Past themes include "Nanotechnology: Viruses &Bacteria," and "Renewable Energy."
  
  The yearly competition starts out with research and ends with a robot-powered creation made out of LEGO®s. The teams can purchase kits provided by the club. The winning creation is judged on how the teams approached their mission, the design process, how successful the robot was in performing its assigned tasks and finally, how well the team worked together.
  
  Although the changing meeting times and locations are provided privately to members, the competitions are open to a community audience.
  
  Forrest Hills First LEGO® League
  Forest Hills, NY 11375
  foresthillslego.com
  foresthillslego.blogspot.com
LEGO® Users of Central New York
- LEGO® Users of Central New York, LUCNY for short, is an adult fan club for LEGO® enthusiasts. Members meet to discuss their common interest in LEGO®s, share tips and collaborate on projects. Their main focus is building train sets entirely out of LEGO®s, which they then display at train shows. However, they also enjoy building technic (robotic), static (solid) and kinetic (moving) inventions. Team members exhibit their creations at fairs and trade shows.
  
  Membership and club meetings are private. To join LUCNY, visit their website at lucny.org and fill out the online membership form, or stop by their booth; fair and trade show locations and times are listed on their website.

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