Frankie has a blast when she can explore freely – and her family loves when they can avoid telling her “no.” However, she has little to no concept of boundaries, so her parents have the challenge of keeping her safe while allowing her to have fun being independent. This little lady has Down Syndrome, coupled with a serious heart defect. Because her communication is limited, her parents wished on her behalf for the creation of a whimsical outdoor play space for Frankie, so she can safely play in her own backyard. They knew she would thrive in a setting that would allow her to be out of harm’s way in therapeutic play. She tends to zip away when on her riding toys, so the main goal for her wish was to install a concrete path around their playset so she can play in an enclosed space – no hearing the word “no” in her new backyard! We were thrilled to team up with LS Black to make this special wish come true.
This caring company enlisted the help of their partners AVR Inc., Sunbelt Rentals, and North Pine Aggregate, Inc., bringing together a remarkable team to make their donation of labor and materials possible. When the LS Black team met onsite to install the path, they also enlisted the help of Frankie and “hired” her as their honorary construction worker to make sure she was a part of the action! They also very kindly gifted her with some toy construction equipment so she could fully embrace her new role, along with a new bike to use once the path was finished! WAM Superstars Jan & Jeff Lynn thoughtfully gathered beautifully whimsical treasures from their shop Crabtree’s Garden Gate to brighten up the space with colorful benches, butterflies, flowers, and more. We also want to thank our Magic Maker, Bruce, for getting Fairs Nursery onboard with a donation of a gorgeous willow tree that will grow with Frankie! And our final wish contributor was Landscape Structures who donated a large customized log climber for Frankie’s new space. We have no doubt that the magic of the transformed backyard will only grow as Frankie and her family play and make many memories.
