Kissimmee - Children with Terminal Illnesses

3-28-12

We started our day with a trip to Clearwater Beach. The ocean water lived up to the beach's name as we could see down to the sand as we swam out farther and farther. It was an awesome bonding experience and to say we've become a little ASB family would be an understatement.

After driving back from the beach, we returned to the Give Kids The World park. Tonight, we were assigned to help with the 'Kids' Night Out' program. Basically, kids got to have a night out and about the park while their parents got a night to themselves. We each got paired with a child who actually picked us out of a line-up of volunteers. Myself, Katie and Cary were paired with a group of 3 siblings, Erin (13) being the eldest. Her and I spent the night together playing mini golf, eating dinner and talking about silly girl things. The final part of the night was Village Idol where the kids were given the opportunity to sing in front of the other children if they wanted to. Erin had mentioned earlier that she thoroughly enjoyed singing and I fully expected her to be a participant. She, on the other hand, would have none of it. When asked, she decided to be a judge for the other kids performing.

Half-way through the show, she turned to me and asked if she could sing -- on one condition: that I sing with her. I of course said yes and we got her signed up and picked out a song. I was so nervous! I get nervous in front of crowds and I was saying yes to singing in front of one. Granted, it was a group of children, but nonetheless, I was nervous.

We performed Rihanna's Take A Bow and the performance went wonderfully. After spending the night with Erin, who had a sibling who was sick, every emotion that had been in the back of my mind for the entirety of the week so far suddenly rushed to the front. In my time spent with Erin, I realized the pain, struggle and emotion that one family can feel with a sick child. I realized how strong Erin was and how singing in front of people was my only fear of the night, while she carried a constant fear of losing a sibling.

Erin, a 13-year-old, taught me a few things that I had otherwise overlooked. First of all, that a child's sickness belongs not only to that child, but to their entire family as well. And that regardless of all of the hardships and worries Erin was dealing with, she was excited and determined to get on stage and live out her talent. Give Kids The World is a truly magical place; it changes the lives of families and volunteers alike.

-Gabby

Today we went to Clearwater Beach and it was my first time in the ocean. A bunch of girls on our trip encouraged me to swim out to a big wooden pillar pretty far out, swim around it and come back. I was a little scared at first, but after their insistence, I did it and I'm so glad I did. It was an amazing first experience and I'm so lucky I got to do it with my wonderful group!

As a group, we got to help with 'Kids Night Out' where we each get our own individual child to hang out with throughout the night. I was really worried that a child would pick me and end up not liking me, or leave the event and not have great memories to share with their families.

As we were waiting to be picked, a little girl rolled in the building and began going down the line of volunteers deciding who she wanted to spend the night with. She started slowing down close to where I was standing, so I bent down to talk to her and I was so excited when she decided she wanted to hang out with me all night. Her name was Christina, but she liked to be called Christy, and she was only five years and getting around with a tiny wheelchair fit to her small size. Even though the Give Kids The World park is fully a wheelchair functioning environment, with how little her wheelchair was, it was extra difficult for her and I to find things to do. When we left for dinner, she was so excited to see Mayor Clayton and Miss Merry (the ambassadors of the park) and wouldn't stop talking about them. Her mother warned me she was a picky eater so I was excited at dinner when I got her to eat a good helping of french fries with ketchup. At dinner she kept holding my hand and putting her little hand on my leg which made me feel like she was comfortable with me and I loved that.

Christina told me how she had just been to Disney World today and met more princesses than she could count, ran into Minnie and Mickey and was followed to lunch by Goofy. After dinner, we went to the Village Idol show. We sat down after she decided she didn't want to perform, but she was really excited to watch one of her older brothers, Peyton, perform.

Christina enjoyed the talent show a lot and thought all of the performers were wonderful. When her parents came to pick her up, she was in a hurry to get to her scheduled tuck-in-appointment by Mayor Clayton. I was a little sad because I didn't get to say goodbye, but overall this has been the best night I've had so far at Give Kids The World.

-Shelbie