Opportunities: Do they “appear” or do you “create” them?
BR&D was presented with opportunities to create sensory gardens for children with special needs through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They embraced these chances to make a meaningful impact in the lives of Jules and Christian, transforming their spaces into places of joy and exploration.
- Eighteen months ago, BR&D partnered with Make-A-Wish to create a sensory garden for Jules, a child with immense potential. They designed a safe space for her to learn and explore.
- The team worked diligently to complete the project, laying over 3500 square feet of sod in just 45 minutes, resulting in a special oasis for Jules.
- Later, they helped Christian by replacing an old deck with an outdoor cooking space, fulfilling his wish and allowing him to pursue his passion for cooking.
Opportunities can either appear unexpectedly or be actively created through initiative and collaboration. In the case of the sensory garden for Jules, the opportunity arose from a call to action, leading to a project that provided a safe space for exploration and learning, showcasing how proactive efforts can lead to impactful outcomes.
Eighteen months ago, BR&D was given an opportunity. We received a call from the Colorado Chapter of the Make-A-Wish foundation about whether we were interested in creating a sensory garden as a Make-A-Wish for a child. Julia, or Jules as we now know her, is a child so aptly referred to by her parents as “born with possibilities”. They don’t refer to her as handicapped and have never closed the door on her potential. Jules needed a place to play that was safe for her, her dog and her family; a place that would give her opportunities to learn about sound, touch, and frankly just to explore the world! We were so excited! We quickly came up with ideas in the office, networked with the Senior Foreman who had additional ideas, planned, contacted vendors to see how they might help, crunched some numbers, and, with Make-A- Wish’s approval, we began the work! After a whirlwind finish in which our crew laid over 3500 square feet of sod in 45 minutes, the yard was revealed: a little water feature just the right size for Jules, things that made sound, features that could be played with and touched, all part of a special oasis for the child with possibilities.
Jules was given an opportunity by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, but for so many more this was an opportunity only if they used it to create one of their own. I’m sure some of the people involved didn’t give this project a second thought. Some even grumbled about it. Others took the project, giving to it and in return gained an open heart to give to and receive from others. Ten months later one of our foremen left BR&D; in his exit interview he said that the Make-A-Wish project had made the most impact on him. He had used the gift to Jules as chance for him to give to others and give to himself.
Fast forward to September of 2016, Make-A-Wish called us about Christian! Christian was another opportunity given to us. Again, we worked with Make-A-Wish and others to help fulfill a wish for a deserving young man facing exceptional difficulties. Christian is much older than Jules and has different obstacles in his life to deal with, and with that came a different type of wish. Instilled with a love for cooking, Christian wanted an area of his own that he could flex his culinary muscles in. Of course, Make-A-Wish had a plan in mind!
The house Christian’s family lives in had a tired, old, warped wooden deck just outside the door to the back yard. Make-A-Wish’s vision was to toss that old deck out and replace it (with our help) with an outdoor cooking space, complete with a wood-fired pizza oven, smoker, grill, prep counter and seating! Our guys went to work again, tearing out the old deck, laying down a concrete patio, and helping to get the components installed (including a fire pit!). When it was all finished, Make-A-Wish got some cooks from California Pizza Kitchen to help Christian learn all about his new pizza oven; everyone ate very well that day!
We all have the option to take the opportunities that are given to us every day. We are in control of how we embrace moments in our lives. In business, we get calls in the office from morning and closing. Often times it rings late at night and on the weekend when the office is closed. Each time the phone rings, it’s an opportunity for us: to serve, to help, to solve, to create, and every once in a while, to serve a child “born with possibilities” and a young man who has dreams, and we are so grateful for each and every one of them. Thanks Jules and Christian!
