Early in 2007 we were contacted by a family in Michigan who were looking for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) rated rubber surfacing to use in their backyard play area, so their special needs child Allie, could play in the backyard with her brothers. We met with the family and visited their home to take a look at the site. We had a few alternatives that would work for a wheelchair bound child to be able to utilize her play area to its maximum, the most expensive being our Pour In Place rubber surfacing.

Luck was on their side…

Dan Wright (owner of the Outdoor Fun Store), has always been a community minded person, and was looking for a new special project for our spring season. After meeting with the family and Allie, Dan decided this was a perfect match.

Allies Project was born…

Dan worked out exactly what could and would work in the family's yard, and submitted a quotation to them with the full price of the installation, AT COST! Allies family went to work setting up Allies Project, running all proceeds through their church, the family ran fund raisers to try and raise the funds needed to get this project to happen.

Outdoor Fun Store put together a fund raiser dinner at our Wayne, Michigan location and had the family come out to visit with folks. Well the dinner turned out to be a GREAT success, everyone had a great time! When the live band wasn't playing the DJ was keeping things humming along nicely. The caterer kept the food flowing, and the entire area had the wonderful aroma of or our pig roast, with all the sides and extras no one went away hungry from this dinner. The open bar (for those legal of course) was kept busy as well, and what better placement right next to our silent auction, with items and services donated from the surrounding business community. The live fire performer demanded the attention of everyone in attendance, along with her musical accompanist with his violin.

Pairing this with our open house the day after (where State of Michigan representative Marc Corriveau, came out to read to the kids) we helped to get Allie to her dream play area.

Between the joint efforts of Allie's family and the Outdoor Fun Store we raised nearly $20,000 to cover most of the cost of the materials, Outdoor Fun Store donated the rest and all it's labor costs as well as Allie's Family friends and church donating their labor and food to feed the hard working hungry workers.  The total cost of the project would have otherwise retailed for about $60,000!

A special thanks to all of the sponsors of Allies Project:

Outdoor Fun Store Co.

Hickory BBQ & Grill

Xpotential

AFLAC / Todd Taylor

And all of the others who donated financially as well as with time, effort, heart, and caring.

We have some pictures from Allies Project in our photo galleries. Take a look and see what a blast we all had.