Tragic Loss of Local Son Leads to Foundation That Brings Kids to Nature

Written by Pam Crooks, La Mesa Courier

I had a 5-month-old son and two older boys, 6 and almost 8 years old in April 1987, when I heard about another 8-year-old La Mesa child who died tragically while playing on a backyard swing. I was deeply affected, just like the rest of our close-knit community. We hugged our own kids a little bit tighter, and wondered how the parents could possibly cope with such a loss.

I’ve learned since that Judy and Keith Meeker decided almost immediately to honor their son Jarrett’s short, but happy life by turning their terrible loss into something positive – they created a foundation in their son’s name to give underprivileged children opportunities to learn about and enjoy nature the way Jarrett did. That July, working with the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District, they sent 50 kids from Murdock and Lemon Avenue Elementary Schools to the San Diego Zoo’s Summer Education Program (or “Zoo School”), which Jarrett especially loved. But that was just the beginning.

Since their young son died, the Jarrett Meeker Foundation has spent over $500,000 providing more than 4,000 children from La Mesa, Spring Valley, El Cajon, National City, Escondido and, most recently, City Heights, San Diego, unique outdoor experiences...

Read the full story in the La Mesa Courier, a La Mesa-Mount Helix Patch media partner.