By Terra Avilla
With a lot of things changing, you know one thing that I find solace in? It’s familiarity in things I love.
One thing I love. Coffee and Danishes. Especially warm, melt in your mouth sort of goodness. (Okay that’s two things – but I order them together).
I think we all owe a collective “air hug” to Heather Arter of Merry Morsels for what she does every day for our community, but especially what she has been doing since we have all been put on temporary quarantine.
If you don’t know Heather’s story, it in-and-of-itself is pretty inspirational.
Heather is a single mother to five children. Yes, five wonderful children. Heather clawed and fought her way to be able to provide for her own children. I remember the month she opened her own business and how proud she was. How proud I was of her.
Heather told me how she worked hard to provide for her children without accepting any sort of help or hand out. She wanted to be the one to provide for her children, even if it meant working two jobs. (I am so happy she is self-sufficient at Merry Morsels, but I so soooo miss her gregarious smile at Starbucks).
Since opening Merry Morsels she has had her hand in countless benevolent activities, from collecting Halloween costumes for little kids whose parents could not afford them, to operating ‘Frosting Families’ which provide birthday cakes or cupcakes to children who cannot afford them. She skillfully makes beautiful and tasty masterpieces, so every child feels special on their birthday, regardless of the income of their parents. That’s a lot of work to care for other people’s kiddos, but she isn’t afraid of working.
Heather maintains her business, working from sunup to sundown, and often a little in-between. She fills special orders, but also somehow finds time to consistently make goodies for donations, whether it be to the Policeman’s ball, to the SPD K9, youth groups, you name it. Even more impressive, she seeks out these organizations. She wants to help. She wants to spread joy and happiness, and with her yummy chocolate in our bellies – it’s working.
During this pandemic Heather has been working non-stop trying to serve our community, serving coffee and breakfast pastries, doing deliveries, bending over backward to serve our needs.
Heather recently made baking/cooking kits – so bored kids stuck at home could be creative and make something magical.
Heather is always trying new ideas to rejuvenate her business and bring fun ideas to our community. For example , Heather sold pickle bouquets for valentines, giving a revival to the traditional flower bouquet, did April Fool’s day gag gifts (Brussel sprout cake pops), but my favorite thing she does is her ‘Pay it Forward Board,’ where she encourages her patrons and makes it so simple for individuals to gift people delicious treats.
Customers can send yummy goodies to our ER staff, prison staff, a sad senior, etc. She encourages all of us to be a little bit better version of ourselves. And we can be better versions of ourselves by following her example. She is one of the reasons I love the place we live.
