SEASON OF GIVING

Despite the pandemic, this year has been a blessing in disguise. We are overwhelmed by the amount of love that has been poured into the Eli's Park Project.

We give thanks to YOU for being a part of the Eli's Park Project family, following our accomplishments, and investing in our mission.

We appreciate our partners and community members who work with us to create an inclusive space for everyone to enjoy.

We give recognition to the families and friends of the Pacific Northwest who share their lives and stories, and who dare to be brave with their self-expression and authenticity.

May you be inspired this Giving Tuesday to give your wisdom, wealth, or time to make the world a better and more inclusive place.

With gratitude,

The Eli's Park Project

The Hands of Eli’s Park

The Eli’s Park Project is led by a dedicated team of landscape architects at Site Workshop who are committed to community-driven design. Clayton Beaudoin, Patrick Pirtle, and Vinita Sidhu have committed their time and hearts to the Eli’s Park Project. We would love to introduce you to the hands of Eli’s Park.

Meet our Landscape Architects

Clayton Beaudoin (pictured center) is a principal at Site Workshop with 15 years of experience engaging people in the storytelling, imagining, and creation of place. He believes, “the hidden power of inclusive design is in connecting diverse people, who then share inclusive messages throughout their communities. In our case, it’s even affected all of our other work.” We love Clayton for his willingness to be vulnerable, reflective, and compassionate in community outreach and for his relentless commitment to making sure everyone feels welcome in the processes and the places he helps create.

Patrick Pirtle (pictured right) joins Site Workshop with a broad range of experiences as a community organizer, urban planner, recycling coordinator, and rural natural resource planner. Patrick believes, “the key to leading an inclusive design process is a bit of humor, a whole lot of creativity and loads of love.” We love Patrick for his enthusiasm and excitement for transforming community members’ hopes and needs into tangible design solutions.

Vinita Sidhu (pictured far left) is a principal at Site Workshop with over two decades of experience designing and planning projects. She believes, “thoughtful design has the power to connect people to nature and to each other which ultimately leads to more caring and inclusive communities.” We love Vinita for her genuine belief that everybody has the right and ability to make meaningful contributions, and for her gift of making people feel accepted and important exactly as they are.

The talent and dedication this team has brought to the project are immeasurable. The Eli’s Park Project community is so grateful to have Clayton, Patrick, and Vinita who all live life with love, leadership, and passion. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and precision in creating an inclusive nature-based space for everyone to come play.

Visit our Facebook and Instagram accounts to view the rendering of the park and fly through the landscape of the soon-to-be Eli’s Park.

All the Things in Life

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Eli’s life was a testimony that we all have a legacy to leave: Eli’s is love. Eli’s beauty and joy spread widely. Carrying one extra chromosome, he shifted many people’s perspectives and inspired people to come together to work toward a common goal. He walked with grace, kindness, and was a light to all those around him. The Eli’s Park Project strives to create a peaceful natural space where everyone feels welcome and valued to enjoy themselves within a diverse and inclusive community. If you didn’t know Eli, the project shows you a glimpse into the kind of young boy he was.

Eli’s neighbor, Kelly Harland, wrote a song for Eli. Weaving her musical and lyrical talents together with her exceptional ability to embrace others exactly as they are, All the Things, captures the essence of Eli and his everlasting love. Desiree Cross, a wonderful singer and friend of Kelly, performed the song. Eli’s parents believe Kelly was just born with extraordinary compassion and a great capacity for love. They wonder if raising an autistic child encouraged her to be more intentional, more generous, and more inclusive with her love for the people in this world. They know for sure, Eli and their family, are so thankful to love and be loved by Kelly.

Album, Real Heart, by Kelly Harland Desiree Cross (Left) and Kelly Harland (Right)

When people are truly included, all the things in life that make a person unique are seen and loved.

“Thank you, Kelly, for looking at the world and seeing Eli this way. And, for remembering…

All the things Eli is,

All the things Eli would have been,

All the things he gave to the world.

I love you.

With tremendous gratitude to everyone who shared their love and talents on this special piece, The Eli’s Park Project is a blessing to be a part of.”

-Paige Reischl, Eli’s Mom, Design Team

Song written and produced by Kelly Harland

Vocal by Desiree Cross

Guitars: Brian Monroney

Engineered by Floyd Reitsma

at Studio Litho, Seattle, WA