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About 250 people gathered on a
recent Saturday to dedicate a playground in memory of Alexi Ann Hendricks.
The little girl was honored when the facility was dedicated as Alexi's
Garden, at the PRIDE for Kids playground. The ceremony was at the Arc of
Clark County's Family Center, 6511 N.E. 18th St.
The playground is part of the PRIDE (Parents Receiving Intensive
Development Education) program that serves children up to 3 years old with
developmental disabilities. Alexi got help through the program before she
died on July 2, 2005.
The playground was dedicated on Aug. 19, the day after what would have
been Alexi's third birthday.
Alexi's parents, Jeff Hendricks and Karen Goulding Hendricks, hadn't
realized that their daughter's name was going to be on the playground.
But it seemed like an appropriate way to give something back, said
Claire Welander, director of the PRIDE for Kids early-intervention
program.
"It wouldn't have happened without Alexi's spirit and her family's
drive," Welander said. "We would have had a playground, but it would have
taken maybe four, five or six years."
Welander called the home-town effort in enlisting volunteers and donors
"amazing."
"The community support for the playground was beyond all expectations,"
she said. "We had very little help from big grants. It was all local
businesses that came together."
Welander said that other programs will be using the playground,
including students from Washington State School for the Blind in
Vancouver. Program leaders will be discussing ways to make the area
available to other community and neighborhood groups, Welander said.
www.arcfamily center.org
