Inspirational Stories of What Each of Us Can do to Make a Better World

By Melissa Hoehn

My friend Annie is the owner of Salt of the Earth Weighted Gear. Her blankets have been a tremendous help to the autism and special needs community, showing how one person, with the help of a loyal and dedicated staff, really can make a difference.

When Annie became aware of a real need in the ‘community-at-large’ for weighted blankets to help the autistic and sensory challenged, she turned to her sister Avon for help. Together, they set their minds and hands to developing quality weighted blankets inexpensively. Thus, in 2002, “Salt of the Earth Weighted Gear” started out, filled a desire to do good to families in need of weighted blankets for their autistic children. Annie built a web site and she and Avon worked hard and long to develop and perfect a system that would produce quality weighted blankets. They agonized over the need to set prices high enough to be viable, yet low enough to be fair to the customers.

Whenever she heard of anyone else’s need, Annie enjoyed developing a new weighted product to meet that need. Some of these were dropped over time, some were developed until they became mainstays.

Eventually several other products were added to the line. At one point Avon took on the challenge of developing a line of top quality weighted vests. At every level production, the products by Salt of the Earth Weighted Gear have been transformed over the years in the effort to improve efficiency and quality while, wherever possible, keeping rising costs from the customers who need them.

Meanwhile, as business grew large enough for these sisters to need help, I was approached to take on one stage of the weighted blanket production. Since that time, I have been impressed with Annie’s heart and how it shines through in every step of this endeavor. For instance, I am asked, though not required, to pray for the person and their family/caregivers that will be using each weighted blanket that I work on.

Although Annie has been an easy person to work with and is very fair with those of us who do work for her company, she is a stickler about little things in the production that will make life easier for people who are already dealing with the challenges of autism.

Through the years, rather than business coming between us in friendship, working together has strengthened and deepened our friendship. This says a lot about how she conducts herself! She is touched by families’ stories and speaks with many of the customers personally as she listens to their needs and takes orders.

Annie receives thank you notes from many customers who are pleased with the quality of the work and the huge print selection. Usually they are just thankful for a good nights’ rest! Occasionally she brightens our day by passing on a particularly interesting one.

I am not a part of the ownership of the company itself, but am proud that I am able to do part of the work that makes Salt of the Earth Weighted Gear the useful, affordable, attractive, and comforting weighted products that they are. As with each weighted blanket I work on, I pray the Lord will ease the way of all who deal with autism.

www.SaltoftheEarthWeightedGear.com