Dawn Abeyta is a mother to three boys, and the entire family has a hand in the success of her youngest son Hunter’s namesake business. What started as a simple craft project to make Christmas soap became Hunter’s Hope in 2017.
Hunter Abeyta is a 22-year-old Colorado Springs native with autism. I ask him if he has ever felt “different.” Hunter pauses. I quickly understand my question is off the mark.
“I’m not different,” he replies.
Dawn eagerly explains how the terminology around autism is evolving. By the end of our conversation, I will understand just how alike Hunter and other young people in their early 20s really are.
Hunter’s Hope co-founder, Amber Detwiler, is married to Hunter’s oldest brother, Dalton. She is a speech pathologist and mom to possibly Hunter’s favorite human, his niece Hayden. Between my questions about making soap and candles, the proud uncle shares that baby Hayden is starting to walk.
Family connections in the Abeyta home run deep. Once a week, Hunter and Dawn babysit Hayden. When Hunter talks about playing with his niece, his voice smiles.
Nine years ago, when Amber, Dawn and Hunter started making soap, Dawn noticed her son was genuinely interested in the process.
“Making soap is very educational,” she shares, “from weighing and measuring items from our recipe, to melting the glycerin. Hunter was involved in each step.” After getting into making soap, Dawn, Amber and Hunter began to experiment with making candles as well.
“My favorite scent is lavender,” Hunter tells me. He helps place candle wicks, choose scents and package the final products.
“Hunter works on candles about three days a week,” his mom explains, “but the bigger purpose of this project is the social aspect it brings to the lives of the kids.”
Since 2017, Hunter, a Coronado High School graduate, and his friends have gathered once a month to either make candles and soaps or enjoy some kind of social event as a group. His friends are also developmentally challenged, including some with autism and others with Down syndrome.
“I want young adults like Hunter to do more than watch videos all day,” Dawn emphasizes, and Hunter is certainly following her lead. Along with Hunter’s Hope, he works a couple of days a week at a senior center.
“It’s important to note, the term ‘special needs’ has run its course,” Dawn explains.
She offers the current slogan for the products made by Hunter and his friends: “Made with Meaning.”
While each member of the Abeyta family plays a role in the success of Hunter’s Hope, new participants are always welcome. Dawn says the Hunter’s Hope Soaps Facebook page or emails to HuntersHopeSoaps@yahoo.com are the best ways to reach her.
“This is a full-time effort,” she says. “Amber and I are co-founders, Dalton makes deliveries, middle son, Tristan, does the accounting, also makes deliveries and is Hunter’s personal photographer.” Hunter’s dad, John, works with his youngest son packing their products.
The candles sold by Hunter’s Hope are either four, eight, 10 or 12 ounces. Additionally, wooden dough bowls with either three or five wicks are available. Candle sales are all online, except for the unique in-store displays for Hunter’s Hope candles at both Colorado Scheels locations.
My conversation with Hunter is shorter than I’d like. He has shared how deeply he feels for the members of his family and opened my vocabulary to understand that his autism is unique, not “different.” To see the products available for purchase, please visit: HuntersHopeSoaps.com.
