Shari Smith

Background

About Shari Smith

I have an affinity for Costco, I met my husband, Arlie, while shopping at a Costco while I lived in California. He always loved to say that I picked him up wholesale. He worked for Costco for over 24 years until November 2017 when he passed away. Arlie was diagnosed with Primary Progressive MS in 2011. As his health complications progressed Costco gave him a job at the front door enabling him to continue to work and to be able to see thousands of members every day. People who knew and cared for him. In 2014 he was diagnosed with Kidney Cancer. One of those Costco members rallied the surrounding community. KTVU reported: “Arlie is such a beloved figure that some customers heard about the cancer and decided to do something nice for him. At 1 p.m. on Tuesday, they invaded the store. They raised some $2,500 to send Arlie and his wife on a vacation. ’They're priceless, they're irreplaceable,’ he said about his customers. And his humility was obvious. ‘Everything that's done for me and the love that's shown for me, every day, it's astounding. I mean, people don't have this great of a life, really,’ he said. His purpose now is to raise as much money as possible during a store-wide fundraiser in May for Children's Hospital, a fundraiser in which he has previously finished in the top ten in North America." The news story went viral and people starting flooding into Costco, handing Arlie money. That May Arlie raised over and was the number one fundraiser for Children’s Hospital through Costco in the U.S. One of Arlie’s biggest fears at that time was public speaking. But he was so passionate about raising money for UCSF Benioff Children’s hospital that he wasn’t going to turn down an opportunity to speak in front of a crowd and this lead to an awakening. We continued to attend events and he continued to share his story with crowds of people. When he spoke in front of a crowd, I’d watch a miracle unfold in the faces of the audience as they laughed, cried and had spiritual epiphanies. In 2015 Costco Awarded Arlie their President’s Award. Arlie passed away in November 2017 having fulfilled his dream to not only be the number one fundraiser for Children’s Hospital but to make a difference in this world. I’m grateful for having been loved by him and for witnessing the way Costco and the community were there for us. If I could have one wish, it would be to impact the world in the same way that he did and to carry on his legacy. Community is so important and if I can help be what others were for us, I feel satiated, empowered and purposeful.