All-In to Help Our Neighbors Seattle Children's Alyssa Burnett Center
Aldrich Team Members Cleared a Path and Acreage for ABC Staff and Students Use
On September 23rd, Aldrich team members gathered for a grounds cleanup work party at the Seattle Children’s Alyssa Burnett Adult Life Center in Bothell. The Alyssa Burnett Center (ABC) supports adults with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities offering a variety of learning and skill-building workshops as well as social and community engagement opportunities. Not only is the ABC facility a close neighbor―only a mile down the road from Aldrich’s Bothell office―Seattle Children’s is also a long-term Aldrich client!
A+ Team volunteers faced an intensive day of clearing overgrowth on about an acre of land around the ABC facility. Armed with trimmers, weed whackers, clippers, machetes, rakes, pitchforks, and an abundance of enthusiasm and camaraderie, the team battled weeds, overgrown grass, tree limbs, and blackberries, “LOTS OF BLACKBERRIES!!!!” exclaimed CFO Brett Lantz. There was so much debris, John Beaston and the team filled a flatbed truck to the brim.
A day’s work made a dramatic difference! The team tackled the project over four hours and unearthed several tiered hillside fields and the winding staircase leading up to them that had been long obscured by the overgrowth. Along with the ABC employees, we were thrilled to see the newly revealed area and the potential it has for outdoor activities. “It’s such a great area not to take advantage of it, and it was rewarding seeing how appreciative the ABC staff were,” said project engineer Cameron Duncan.
“Our group worked really hard, and it was great to see the teamwork outside of the office,” said Brett, “I appreciated the tour beforehand to get an understanding of the amazing work they do there, and it was cool to see the ABC employees excited about what we had accomplished.”
The experience was tremendously rewarding. So much so that plans are already in the works for 2023 and beyond to continue support of ABC and the students. We hope to go back in the near future and interact with the students, doing things like building birdhouses or holding job interview workshops, in addition to further grounds maintenance.