Not all ribbon-cutting ceremonies include an alligator, whale, and a sliding swing, but the one on March 6 did! The celebration commemorated a partnership between Wishes & More, AMEK Design + Build, and Vujovich Design Build to grant a wish that would transform a basic basement area into a life-altering hangout/therapy room for a Woodbury boy who lives with multiple medical challenges.
Finley, along with his brother Aidan and parents Lee and Heather Stanek, were on hand for the official ribbon cutting ceremony revealing the customized space and donated gifts. Attending the event were Allison Gray, Senior Outreach Representative from US Representative Angie Craig’s office, Carol Bistodeau, Director of Wish Services at Wishes & More; Hanna Crosser and Jason Anderson from AMEK: and Sydney Monson and Kaitlyn Zachman from Vujovich plus Finn’s grandparents and great grandmother, and teachers.
Celebrating Finley’s Room reveal were Jason Anderson, AMEK Project Superintendent; Lee and Heather Stanek, Finn’s parents; Hanna Crosser, AMEK Senior Designer; Carol Bistodeau, Wish Services Director at Wishes & More; Sydney Monson, Vujovich Design Director; Kaitlyn Zachman, Vujovich Assistant Design Director; and Allison Gray, Senior Outreach Representative from Office of US Representative Angie Craig.
Wishes & More is a Minnesota-based organization providing experiences, wishes, scholarships, and memorials for children with life-threatening conditions. The goal for Finley’s wish was to create a personalized sensory area to fortify Finley’s teachers and family for engaging activity and learning. Our design + build team learned that 12-year-old Finn likes to do “heavy work” like medicine balls and using deep pressure equipment, so they created the room with large-muscle and colorful art activities and also included an adjacent gaming area for his 16-year-old brother Aidan.
A partial wall was added, flooring was changed, an ocean-themed mural was created, and a sliding platform swing was installed. Many items like weighted balls, tables and chairs on wheels for flexible room arrangements, interactive wall and floor activity pieces, and hands-on therapy pieces were donated to fulfill the wish. Favorite elements include the alligator play piece and whale mural on the wall along with the colorful bubble picture and the wall touch tiles and movable rainbow floor tiles. Because Finn loves hanging out with his brother, a sliding curtain was installed to easily and safely allow interaction or separation as needed.
“Creating Finley’s Room was really enjoyable for us because we were helping someone who was going to appreciate what we did,” noted AMEK Design + Build Project Superintendent Jason Anderson. “The Stanek family was so cooperative and flexible, so we worked well together.”
Heather, Finley, Lee, and Aidan Stanek
“Finley’s love of the ocean is like nothing we have ever seen, he is drawn to it. To think the team personalized his space to the thing he loves most made it so special for him. It means the world to us that they cared so much for Finley’s happiness. We are so beyond thankful for the thoughtfulness, time and passion that was put into this project. They have been the most amazing team to work with. They transformed our basement in a way that will be loved by our whole family!”
