Rock solid body manufacturer erects ‘Roc Solid’ playset

Mickey volunteers check out their work.

There?s a proverb that says, ?It takes a village to raise a child.?

Well, on a recent Saturday in Spring, it took 19 Mickey Truck Bodies employees and a few family members to raise a new backyard playset for a High Point youngster with kidney cancer. The project was directed by Roc Solid Foundation, a nonprofit that builds playsets through its Play IT Forward program for children who are going through pediatric cancer treatments. The High Point build was for 2-year-old Luca Teoli, who was diagnosed last year.

Mickey employees Luis Sanchez and Danny Crowe on the playset ?assembly line.? Two-year-old Luca tries out his new playset.

?Roc Solid tries to match playset recipients with companies in the area that can help the build,? explained Heather Hankins, Mickey?s HR Manager. ?They reached out to Mickey when they had a High Point recipient and presented us with the opportunity to pitch in. Mickey has a standing tradition of supporting its local communities, and this was another way we were able to contribute. Building rock solid equipment is right in our wheelhouse.?

Response from the Mickey team to help with the build was overwhelming, according to Heather. ?We had a lot of employees raise their hands when the opportunity came up, but because of COVID restrictions we could only choose the first 19 volunteers.? The volunteers from Mickey also brought birthday presents for Luca, making the day extra-special. One of volunteers even mowed the family?s front lawn while he was there.

?We would never have been able to afford this playset,? said Jamie Teoli, Luca?s mom. ?We dreamed about having one. For our dreams to come true means the world.?

Roc Solid Foundation, a nonprofit organization, builds custom playsets in the backyards of kids fighting cancer. They have completed hundreds of these playset builds throughout the U.S. as they have partnered with over 60 children?s hospitals coast to coast.

(Click HERE to read the full story as it appeared in the May 26, 2021 edition of High Point Enterprise.)