Kidd’s Kids Day is tomorrow and man…that’s a LOT of
pressure. Every year we say it’s the BIGGEST trip ever because every year it
is. This year there are 60 kids and families planning on going to Walt Disney
World for the experience of a lifetime and, well, we need the money to pay for
it.
I’ve got my checkbook right next to me and I could pay for
the trip, but I doubt Mickey takes post-dated checks that will never go
through. That means that if these kids are waiting on me to pay for the trip,
we’re all in a lot of trouble because there’s gonna be a lot of sad faces come
November. I know there are a lot of charities out there that you could choose
to donate your money to and I know that I’m biased, but hear me out on this.
When you think back on life, what do you have? Memories. I
hope that most of them are good ones, but for a lot of the kids that have been
chosen to go on the trip this year and every year, their memories are consumed
with doctors visits and hospital stays. Holidays stuck in the confines of a
hospital room, probably feeling guilty because your family is there with you.
And then you move on to the siblings of the kids. You know
that kids compete for attention, so it’s got to be really hard when you’re the
sibling of a chronically or terminally ill child and have no choice but to take
the back seat a lot of times because your brother or sisters health has to come
first. Of course you’re gonna feel resentment and jealousy. As you grow up, you
probably feel guilt with that. Just a whole range of emotions that kids
shouldn’t have to deal with in any way.
Then you think about the parents of the kids who have to try
and figure it all out. Normal finances, jobs, home life, marital relationships,
balancing the kids, medical bills, the stress of having a sick child, and
everything else. It’s got to be utterly exhausting. I know that being the mom
of healthy kids has to be exhausting, so add the emotional rollercoaster of an
illness to that and it must be just overwhelming. Hearing your baby cry because
they have to be poked with another needle or stay the night in the hospital
again. You try to be the brave one and say that it’s all going to be okay, but
is it? I’m sure that somewhere in the back of these parents mind they have to
wonder if they can keep the pieces together like this. It’s a lot to take in
and everyone deserves a break.
I know that a few days at Disney World does not cure any
illness, but it does a whole lotta healing for the spirit. That can be better
than any medicine sometimes. This trip gives kids and families something to
look forward to and then something to look back on. Smiles and laughs and once
in a lifetime experiences that come without the worries that they’re used to.
This trip is designed so that they don’t have to so much as pay for an ice
cream cone while they’re in the park. It’s THAT stress free. When we get to
surprise the families with the news that they’re going on the trip, we tell
them that they just need to pack undies, socks, shoes, and shorts, because we’ve
got the rest covered. Hats, shirts, and everything else…and it’s all because of
your donations and the fantastic partnerships Kidd’s Kids has with companies
like Southwest Airlines and Raising Canes. But it’s like we’ve said on the air
time and time again, it’s the few dollars here and there that really add up. So
don’t feel like your $10 doesn’t matter because IT DOES. It truly does. Think
about it. When you go to Wal-Mart and your kid wants a $10 toy, you don’t
hesitate to say no because a $10 toy every time you go to the store really adds
up. Just like these donations! Think about it that way. Nothing is too big or
too small. We’ll take your big checks, too. Gladly.
If you want to make an impact that you can actually hear on
the radio in November, make sure to help us out tomorrow. There are too many
ways to donate for me to try and explain them all, so just bookmark
KiddsKids.com. You can see pics of past trips, videos, and keep up with events
going on throughout the year. And tomorrow isn’t the only day you can donate.
You can give anytime. Tomorrow is just the one show a year we dedicate to raising
money for the trip. I’m pretty proud of a couple things you will hear tomorrow,
so please make sure you’re listening. Since Kidd is not here to issue one
anymore, I will go ahead and say this ahead of time. Mascara alert on a couple
of things. Worthwhile, though. I promise.
Long story short. Tomorrow. KiddsKids.com. Kidd’s Kids Day
2014. Come on. Make this trip happen.
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