When Merrick leased the space that would become the Willow Lake Boulevard (WLB) site in 2022, employees were invited to help reimagine it as a remarkable life enrichment program. From the very beginning, it was always the collective dream to install a ceramic kiln to bring the Pottery and Paint Studio to life. This summer, that long-held dream became reality. 

Before the arrival of the kiln, WLB worked exclusively with air-dry clay. While clients enjoyed the creative process, employees quickly recognized its limitations: it lacked durability, was not food safe, and could not be made waterproof. Plans to acquire a kiln began as early as the summer 2024, but the installation process proved more complex than expected, resulting in a year of delays. 

Published August 20, 2025

For the second year in a row, Merrick’s Willow Lake Boulevard (WLB) site hosted a Back-to-School Drive, providing clients with an opportunity to give back to the community in a meaningful way. 

After supporting Vadnais Heights Elementary in 2024, the WLB team set out to make an even greater impact in 2025 by focusing on families with greater needs. Following research into lower-income neighborhoods, they selected Dayton’s Bluff Elementary in St. Paul as the recipient of this year’s donations. In a fitting coincidence, Program Plan Coordinator Donna Tate – who originally launched the Back-to-School Drive – was among the first students to attend Dayton’s Bluff when it opened in 1974. 

Published August 18, 2025

As part of our ongoing commitment to providing exceptional employment services, Merrick’s Independent Services team (I-Team) recently completed the Minnesota Customized Employment (MN-CE) training program and is now officially certified in Customized Employment (CE).  

First, what is CE?  CE is a person-centered approach that aligns job opportunities with the unique skills, interests, and needs of individuals with disabilities, as well as the specific needs of the employers. The CE process consists of three primary steps: discovery, job development, and employment support. The discovery phase acts as the foundation of the entire CE process. 

In recent months, Merrick’s Off-Site Services launched a second recycling crew, bringing our total number of recycling crews across Enhanced and Off-Site Services to five. Providing meaningful employment for up to 20 clients, these crews spend several hours every day collecting plastic and blue wrap from local businesses and hospitals. Working alongside our on-site baling crew, they divert nearly one million pounds of plastic from landfills every year!

Dear Friends of Merrick, Inc.,

The Board of Trustees is delighted to announce that, after an extensive and thorough search process, we have appointed Mike Greenbaum as our organization’s next Executive Director. This decision marks a pivotal moment in our journey, and we are enthusiastic about the future that lies ahead.

Mike began his career in the disability services field in 2000, when he joined Merrick, Inc., in a fundraising and CFO role. He left in 2014 to be the Executive Director of Newtrax, Inc., which is a nonprofit that provides transportation services to adults with disabilities, including many of our clients. Recognized as a leader in disability transportation services, and with his longstanding connection to Merrick, Mike brings with him a wealth of experience, a deep commitment to our mission, and a record of success and achievement that we believe will drive our organization forward. We are confident that under his leadership, we will continue to make a profound impact in our community and in the disability sector.

In 2021, Lynn Lomen took the lead on Merrick’s Vadnais Heights (VH) Holiday Adopt-A-Family Initiative, where employees adopt families from Vadnais Heights Elementary School during the holiday season and provide gifts to help brighten their celebrations. Here’s what Lynn had to say when asked a few questions about the initiative and its importance.

What prompted you to take the lead on this initiative?

I started working at Merrick in 2015. The VH Holiday Adopt-A Family Initiative, lead by Judy Vollbrecht, had been going on for quite some time by then (I believe that it started in 2009). The core group that helped her each year brought such dedication to making the holidays wonderful for the VH families that were entrusted to them from the VH Elementary School. I was eager to get involved and excited to participate with them. When Judy retired in 2021, Ruth Barrett and I wanted to make sure that the initiative continued.  

When Merrick’s Willow Lake Boulevard site opened in November 2022, clients receiving life enrichment services were relocated to the new building, leaving the Alternative Services (AS) area at 3210 Labore Road vacant. Without an immediate plan for the vacant space, it was primarily used for recreational purposes over the next two years as a new purpose for AS was explored.

Renovations to the space would begin in August 2024, and were completed in November, at which point, Alternative Services reopened with an updated design and focus. Today, Alternative Services provides support to clients with a lower staffing ratio (1:4) who are seeking opportunities for both employment and leisure activities. Capable of serving up to 32 clients, the newly renovated space is well-suited for those who thrive in a smaller, quieter working environment.

On Friday, December 20, Zubaz Santa (i.e., JWB) visited Merrick along with two of his reindeer and elves. Throughout the morning, clients came out in small groups to take pictures with Zubaz Santa in his sleigh and enjoy holiday treats, creating a festive experience for all involved.

It was by no means the first time that JWB had put on the red suit and Zubaz pants, assuming the persona of Zubaz Santa. At Merrick, it has become a running tradition during his tenure that many look forward to. Typically, he only dons the suit and pants for a few hours, while passing out gifts to employees before the holiday break. However, knowing that this would be his last holiday season as Executive Director, JWB wanted to honor the legacy of Zubaz Santa by going “big”, both for himself and the clients that have brought him so much joy over the years. After all, JWB and Santa go way back.

Later this month, Merrick’s Ambassadors for Respect (A4R) team will launch a new season of anti-bullying presentations. Designed to provide fourth graders with tools to recognize and prevent bullying, A4R also offers individuals with disabilities the unique opportunity to share their personal stories with the next generation and develop valuable employment skills.

Over the course of the presentation, students learn about the importance of including others, using person-first language, and advocating for themselves and others, and the Ambassadors gain an increased sense of purpose as they make a direct and positive impact on elementary school environments. 

Merrick’s 2025 A4R team consists of 6 clients, some of whom are Ambassadors for the very first time. Over the next several months, they are expected to reach more than 200 fourth-grade students across three elementary schools with their empowering message of inclusion. 

To learn more about A4R, visit https://www.peacemakermn.org/ambassadors-for-respect.