A sixth grader at Great Valley Middle School, Meredith was loved by students & teachers alike. She found great joy in her friends, family, animals, art, music & sports. Mer was involved in many activities like Girl Scouts, field hockey, lacrosse, and the GVMS musical. She looked forward to continuing all of these with friends both old and new. Nothing brought her more happiness than making someone else smile.
Meredith’s parents, Jamie & Alison Warner, along with her brother Wyatt hope to bring awareness to others about the importance of mental health and suicide prevention through their Blue Heart Foundation. All GVYL teams wear a blue heart on their uniforms in honor of Mer, a young girl that left this world too early. The world needs to see the color blue and remember the BIG Meredith showed everyone!
Our hope is that this blue heart will raise awareness surrounding mental health care and suicide prevention. Mental health issues can be just as life threatening as physical ones and deserve recognition, both in our health care system and in the support we give each other.
So many suffer in silence...both the patient and those caring for them. For any of you that need it, my heart and time are open to you. I know it can be extraordinarily difficult, but please ask for help. It takes a village and we are all in this together.
Follow Mer Squares and The Blue Heart Foundation on Facebook and Instagram and consider making a donation to the Blue Heart Foundation.
Jim Simmington was an ambassador for The Creator’s Game and a beloved father, husband, coach, and friend from our Great Valley Youth Lacrosse community. He played an integral role in successfully launching our girl’s youth program back in 2017 (which merged with the boy’s program in 2021) and continued to coach all the while undergoing chemotherapy.
Jim personified what GVYLA is all about: inclusion, positivity, leadership, sportsmanship, and cooperation. He had a reserved yet commanding presence on and off the field. He set a solid foundation for our club—a place where kids can learn and develop a love for the game of lacrosse, no matter their skill level. Jim helped foster GVYLA to be a place where the team trumps all, where the sum of all is greater than one. The experience that encompasses the game of lacrosse is what is important, not the wins or losses.
May this symbol remind you of Jim, his family, and his favorite saying: “Start each day with a grateful heart.” We are thankful for the short, yet impactful time we had with Jim and will continue his legacy through his children and all the athletes who experience Great Valley Youth Lacrosse.
Great Valley Youth Lacrosse Assoction is a community-based recreational lacrosse program created to serve 1st through 8th graders who reside in the Great Valley School District in Pennsylvania.
Home Field: Turf (Field 12) at Great Valley Middle School, 255 Phoenixville Pike, Malvern, PA 19355
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 401, Devault, PA 19432