May 3, 2016
Associated General Contractors (AGC) Volunteer Team Builds Brighter Future for Olive House Residents
By: Sheryl Wilde
“Click, click, click.”
Marianna, Olive House resident, repeated the sounds, over and over as she sat on the patio with her mother.
“Click, click, click.”
Like all the 15 residents of Mountain Shadows Olive House, Marianna is disabled. She is unable to speak.
“That clicking sound is Marianna’s happy sound,” says mother, and Foundation Board Member, Brenda Kritser. “Marianna is a very complicated young lady medically. She has cerebral palsy. She’s blind. She’s fed through a G-Tube. She has a seizure disorder. She has a lot of medical needs.
“Marianna is so happy at Mountain Shadows. They are not only able to take care of her medical needs, of which she has many, but they take care of her whole person.”
Taking care of the “whole person” and supporting our residents in living rich, active and fulfilling lives is our mission at Mountain Shadows. In addition to providing medical support, we strive to create an enriching environment that nurtures all aspects of an individual’s life – mind, body and soul.
And, on this day, thanks to the generosity of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of San Diego, Marianna was wholly satisfied and happy, enjoying lunch with her mom on a beautiful new patio!
AGC of America is the leading association for the construction industry with more than 26,000 members nationwide. AGC San Diego’s membership includes over 1,000 local firms. The organization is dedicated to improving the construction industry by educating its members, promoting the use of the latest technology, and advocating the construction of the best quality projects for the community in both the public and private sectors.
AGC’s Build and Serve Committee, which provides members with a venue to give back to the community through volunteer work and donation of services, recently spearheaded a project to build a completely new patio at Olive House.
“For about the last 30 years, a patio with a wood cover has been used by residents as an area to get outside and get some fresh air,” says Jim Ryan, former AGC San Diego CEO. “In fact, because of its location on the campus, it was the only place for these residents to easily access the outdoors.
“The patio was cracking and the patio cover was weakened by California’s famous termites. It was not a very pleasant place for the residents to enjoy the outdoors, but because of State funding cutbacks, Mountain Shadows was not in a position to rebuild the patio.
“Don Romo, of Erickson Hall Construction Company, the AGC Build and Serve Chairperson, visited Mountain Shadows in late December. He brought the project to the Committee and it was unanimously approved.
“Construction started in February and was just recently completed. Now the residents have an outstanding patio to spend some time in our beautiful weather!”
“The patio is beautiful,” says Flor Angel, Olive House. “The residents absolutely love it!” We’ve already had a St. Patrick’s Day party and several barbecue parties on the new patio. The residents are using it everyday. They eat outside on the patio and can invite friends from other houses to come over and enjoy it too.
“One resident, Johanna, has a large family who visits her often. They live in Tijuana. Before the construction of this new patio, there really wasn’t room for her whole family to enjoy time on the patio together. Now they can – and do! It gives them a place to spend time together, relax and enjoy the day.
“All of the residents just love it! Tyvonni sits out there and just laughs and laughs. Mary, Steve, and all of them really love it.”
“Johanna and Patsy, from Orange House, sit out on the patio almost every day. They love to color and talk and talk and talk,” say Jen Velazquez, Olive House.
Adds Stacy Sullivan, Director of Operations, Mountain Shadows, “The residents are using the patio every day. I see them there on weekends, in the evenings, throughout the day – all the time! Residents from other houses now go over there to visit. It’s the cool place to go now!”
“The construction of this new patio came about because of Brenda Kritser,” says Fred Lindahl, Development Director, Mountain Shadows Foundation. “She spoke with her neighbor, Jim Ryan, and the rest, as they say is history.”
“Brenda took this project and ran with it,” adds Stacy. “As with everything she does, she put 100% into getting this new patio for the residents. When she commits to something, she does it!”
“We are grateful for the generosity of all those who helped bring this project to fruition,” says Wade Wilde, Executive Director/CFO, Mountain Shadows Support Group. “I was so impressed by the involvement and coordination of all the different trades and with how much each one took such great pride in the quality of their workmanship. Thanks to all of their efforts, the residents of Olive House, and the entire Mountain Shadows community, will benefit from and enjoy this new patio for many, many years to come.”
And Marianna? While she may not be able to tell us, in words, how she loves to sit on the patio – to feel the warmth of the sun on her face … to feel the breeze gently whispering across her skin … to hear the sweet and joyful songs of the birds … to gather with her friends and just share the day – we know as we walk by the patio on any given day and we hear:
“Click, click, click.”
“Click, click, click.”
It’s Marianna’s happy sound.
And that’s a beautiful sound to us.
