By Khalida Sarwari
The smell of hamburgers wafted in the air and reggae music blared from the stereo on a mid-October day on Campbell’s Division Street, where a large bounce house burst with the sound of children laughing and playing.
It was far from a regular workday at Groupware Technology, an IT solutions provider company based in Campbell. Dozens of its employees came together in teams to build six playhouses for military families and those that have a relative with cystic fibrosis. For the employees, it was a lively exercise in team-building; for the two families that arrived that evening to pick up their playhouses, it was proof that miracles don’t happen just in December.
“It’s like Christmas in October,” proclaimed Cori Bartlett of Castro Valley, whose 15-month-old son Grayson has cystic fibrosis.
The Bartlett family brought a truck to take home their playhouse, which had an animal theme and Grayson’s name inscribed across the front. Watching her son run around, Cori Bartlett said she planned to put the playhouse in the family’s back yard, but lamented that she could not invite other children with cystic fibrosis to come over and play with Grayson, because cystic fibrosis patients are discouraged from having prolonged close contact with each other.
Cystic fibrosis is a life-threatening genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive systems of roughly 30,000 children and adults in the U.S., according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. For the Bartlett family, life has not been the same since Grayson was diagnosed at only a month old.
“We’re discovering a new normal,” said Batlett.
And so, too, is the Champagne family. Maj. Jeremy Champagne, an assistant professor in the Air Force ROTC program at San Jose State University, brought his wife, Ana, and their two sons, Jayden, 3, and Gabriel, 2, to pick up their “Thomas the Tank Engine”-themed playhouse. Jayden has a rare liver disorder and Gabriel has autism.
“They’re both special needs students, so this is a great thing they can enjoy,” said Jeremy Champagne, who resides in Mountain View.
As the day came to a close, Groupware CEO and president Mike Thompson said he was pleased with the turnout for the inaugural event and looked forward to holding it again next year. Thompson is a member of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Board of Directors and has been involved in the cause since the child of a good friend of his was diagnosed with the disease.
“I think it’s phenomenal the energy and effort they put into it,” he said of his employees, who took on all aspects of construction, from painting and design to roof construction and assembly of the units.
Groupware made a donation to Habitat for Humanity Silicon Valley to cover the cost of the playhouses as well as all supplies and materials. The other four playhouses were allocated to the Blue Star Moms organization and a cystic fibrosis care facility.
Thompson’s sister, Stacy, the company’s CFO, helped design and build the animal-themed playhouse. Before the families arrived to pick up their playhouses, Stacy, who lives in Los Gatos, took a break to hold her 4-year-old niece Kaia and brace herself for the families’ reaction.
“I’m very excited, but I know I’m going to cry,” she said, laughing. ‘I’m already prepared.”
Family was a dominant theme of the event as just about every employee brought family members of their own to help assemble the playhouses or partake in the festivities. Joe Dattilo, an inside sales representative for Groupware, brought his pregnant wife, Nicole.
“One of our core values is giving back, so I think it’s nice we have an event to do that,” the Campbell resident said.
Groupware’s executive vice president, Scott Sutter, of Saratoga, agreed.
“The whole team atmosphere is very important to us,” he said. “I like being part of the giving back team–and there’s great music.”
Having a child with cystic fibrosis is “a lot of stress and a lot of fear,” but “this is our rainbow right now,” Cori Bartlett said.
“The whole project gives me hope and faith that we haven’t lost our humanity,” she said.
