In the Fall of 2020 we launched our #BuildWhatMatters campaign and teamed up with local businesses to do a fun giveaway. Our hope was to lift up and inspire our local communities to work towards building what matters most to them. Little did we know this would serve as the foundation for something much bigger.

The winner of the giveaway, Kelly Lauricella, was chosen at random and had no prior connection to Merit. As we later found out, Kelly is one of the directors of the Rachel Lynn Henley Foundation, a nonprofit organization based out of Tacoma, WA that donates to pediatric cancer patient support and research. The foundation was started in honor of Kelly’s cousin Rachel, who passed away from cancer after a fierce 7-1/2 year battle. During her fight, Rachel developed a passion for helping others, particularly kids and young adults dealing with a cancer diagnosis. Rachel dreamed of starting a foundation to help support others fighting similar battles. In an effort bring her dream to fruition, her family created the Rachel Lynn Henley Foundation in her honor.

“Rachel's Hugs” is one of the foundation’s most prominent programs, which grants wishes designed to enhance the lives of young cancer fighters who are being treated at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma, WA. One of their most recent recipients was a 15 year old girl who is legally blind and was diagnosed with cancer in March of 2020. Her request was for an outdoor enclosure with shelving for her fifteen pet rats. Her hope was to have a space outdoors where she could safely play with her pets.

When the foundation first received the request for a shed, they weren’t certain this would work within their budget. Remembering her experience with Merit, Kelly reached out to Tammy Birklid, Merit’s Principal, and asked if we could help make this Hug a reality.

Caring for the community has always been a top priority for Tammy, both in her personal life and as a business owner. This passion is something that has helped shape the culture at Merit and can be felt throughout every employee there. When Tammy shared this with her team, they didn’t hesitate to step in and help. Together, Superintendents Jim Walters and Jason Fridlund, quickly devised a plan to create an outdoor modular shed that could easily be taken apart, moved, and set up as needed, allowing the family to take the shed with them if they ever moved. To ensure it was built in a timely manner and within budget, Jim and Jason generously gave their time after hours to complete the project; together they prefabricated the shed at Jim’s house and with the help of Jim’s brother, Justin Walters, they delivered and assembled the shed at the recipient’s residence on Saturday, January, 23, 2021.

We are honored to have played a part in this special project and help carry on the legacy of Rachel Lynn Henley. If you would like to learn more about the foundation, their core programs and how you can get involved, please visit www.rachellynnhenleyfoundation.org