Ben Weymiller is not your average ten-year-old. Yes, he loves baseball and playing with his friends. Yes, he teases his older brother and is idolized by his baby sister. What makes Ben extraordinary is his vision for making this world a better place and inspiring others to do so as well.

In 2006, Ben’s aunt, Andrea, gave birth to his cousin, Mary Grace. Mary Grace spent much of her first months hospitalized at Tacoma General Hospital and then Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital due to complications brought on by Down syndrome. His Aunt Andrea took great comfort in rocking Mary Grace; rocking her to sleep, easing her pain, nurturing her to health. At Mary Bridge, there were not enough rocking chairs so that every room or every child could have one.

Ben decided rather than spend the $45 he had saved, he would donate it to purchase a rocking chair so mothers could rock and comfort their babies. Frank Colarusso, Major Gifts Officer for the Mary Bridge Children’s Foundation, accepted the gift and acknowledged it with a personal letter to Ben. In his letter, he told Ben he would update him on the rocking chair fundraising progress and to call him if he had any questions. Ben did just that. He left a voice message for Mr. Colarusso asking if there were other ways “a ten-year-old boy might help.”

A meeting was set up. Ben and his neighbor were thinking of a rock-a-thon to raise money for a few rocking chairs. The idea of a small rock-a-thon grew into Ben rocking at the 2006 Festival of Trees public viewing days and speaking at the Gala and JingleBell Jam auctions. A goal to raise enough funds to purchase 35 rocking chairs at $750 per chair was established.

During three days of rocking at the Festival of Trees and sharing his vision at the two events, and with contributions to the foundation and his web page, more than $82,000 was raised, enough to purchase 110 rockers!

Ben’s mom, Kathy, wrote an email to a foundation staff member during the rock-a-thon. She thanked the staff for believing in Ben and encouraging him. She stated, “Ben believes one person CAN make a difference, even a kid.”