Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
MENTONE - Saturday may have been a bit gloomy outdoors, but volunteers from Carpenters Union 651 were working to spread a bit of sunshine for a Mentone girl.
Melissa Wert, 9, is undergoing radiation treatments at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis for three tumors on her spine. She previously received radiation to zap a brain tumor, which, according to her mother, is coming back.
Melissa, the daughter of Steven and Sue Wert of North CR 825E, Mentone, was chosen by Make-A-Wish of Indiana to have her wish granted and, although she would have liked to have her own bedroom at her house, Make-A-Wish cannot build additions on existing structures. So, the Mentone Elementary School third-grader asked for her second best wish - to have her own playhouse.
Construction began about 8 a.m. Saturday and things were shaping up by 1 p.m., with about a dozen men climbing around on the 12-foot-square structure. The two-story playhouse - called Melissa's Mansion - is 14 feet tall and has a 4-foot deck off the second story. The finished product also was expected to have a curly yellow plastic tube slide extending from it.
Make-A-Wish volunteer Janet Marhover said the plan for the playhouse has been in the works for about six months. An architect submitted a drawing of the playhouse to Make-A-Wish in July and volunteers worked to pin down donations for construction. Brueggan Lumber of New Haven provided the lumber for the project and "generous" donations also were received from Biomet Inc. of Warsaw and Do-It-Best Corp. in New Haven.
Children making wishes often ask for trips, but Marhover said Melissa's wish was "very unique." She said it took a lot of work from a lot of people to organize the project.
The youngest of three children, Sue Wert said her daughter, Melissa, is also now the toughest of her children.
Melissa and her mother are staying at Ronald McDonald House, Indianapolis, while Melissa is treated as an outpatient at Riley for five weeks of radiation for the spinal tumors. Another treatment for the brain tumor will require that Melissa be hospitalized for six to eight weeks. She has received the maximum radiation allowable for the brain tumor and an alternative treatment will be used for another attempt at eradicating it.
Sue Wert said Melissa has a germinoma, which is a fast-growing cancer.
Although Melissa was given a pass to leave treatments for a day so she could be at home while her playhouse was being built, she was too sick to come outside during much of the construction.
