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rikbrooks Inner circle Olive Branch, Mississippi 1317 Posts |
I'm doing volunteer walk around at Target House. It's a set of apartments donated by Target (the department store) where the out-of-town families of children being treated for cancer at St. Judes Hospital are given free accomodations. It's available to families whose children are scheduled for MORE than 90 day treatments.
Not doing it for publicity or anything else. Just because it's such a very good charity and well --- my daughter volunteered me knowing 'I wouldn't mind'. I don't. I have a kid brother who died at that hospital when I was about 12. The hospital treated our whole family so well. If you are in Memphis that day come on out and let me pull a quarter from your ear. Rik |
rikbrooks Inner circle Olive Branch, Mississippi 1317 Posts |
Maybe I didn't mention it but the Target House is FREE for the families of the kids being treated at St Judes. That way an out-of-town parent can come be with their sick child while they are going through treatment.
Just how cool is that? |
donrodrigo Special user U.S.A. and Europe 635 Posts |
Mr. Brooks there should be more people like you... God bless and keep them smiling that's the best cure. I to as working professional do this as should many of us. that's what magic is all about.
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rikbrooks Inner circle Olive Branch, Mississippi 1317 Posts |
This is from my blog of Jan 18. It's texasmob.com/rikbrooks
Last month I did a volunteer gig for the Target House. I was so impressed with the charity that I committed to a monthly gig there. Once a month volunteers from a company named JuicePlus show up to feed the cancer victims and their families a meal. I volunteered to do table hopping. Remembering the last time I was there I figured there would be at least 50 people. My daughter said that there would be more like 70 and that they would come in waves. I had no problem with that. I picked out a few tricks, mostly close-up and off I went. When I got there I was oh so pleased to see that there were probably 12 or so volunteers. These are people that are taking time out of their lives – away from their families – to help total strangers that are in the greatest of need. They are helping families with children that are battling cancer. They had brought in barbcue from Corky’s. The smoky-tangy smell of sauce was reaching out the door and making an invitation to everyone near. I immediately remembered Sanai. She was the little girl of mid-east heritage with the olive skin and the baseball cap that said ‘HOPE’ from last time. She had come late because she had been receiving another round of chemo-therapy. She hadn’t arrived early. One family came in. Imagine going to a restaurant with 12 waiters and a magician for every table! We were all just waiting for a glass to become empty or any need. We were respectful of their privacy and wanted them to have a nice dinner but every volunteer wanted to do whatever we could. The couple was young. They were about as typical a young couple as you could find. The lady wore a sweatshirt and faded jeans. The father wore jeans and a nondescript shirt. The cancer victim was with them. She couldn’t have been more than a couple of years old. The chemo had taken her hair but she was bright eyed and playing as any two year old would. I so wanted to give the family a few moments where they didn’t have to think about cancer. I’ve decided that’s my mission in this effort – to take the family’s mind off their troubles and give them a breather, even if it’s only for a moment. So here I go. I look at the young family, take a deep breath and approach a table filled with warriors against death, hoping that I don’t fall flat on my face. “Hey ya’ll, wanna see some maaagic?” I said, drawing out the word. Thank goodness the adults looked up and smiled at me. “Magic?” said the father. The little girl just flailed her arms and beat the table in a fashion resembling all young children. “Well, I don’t know if you’d call it magic or not. I do but then again, I’m kinda partial to myself. I’m not the best magician they is but I do have these four little balls, lookee here as I put them on this table all arranged in a square, then cover one of them with my cowboy hat. If I pick up one of these remaining three then, well, what happened?” As I spoke I matched action to word but as soon as I picked up one of the balls I opened my hand and the ball had vanished. “Well don’t that just beat all?” I said, picking up the hat to show two balls under it where there had been the one before. “Reckon I can repeat that?” I said, slowly covering the two balls with my hat. I picked up a ball and it vanished just like the other. Picking up my hat I showed three balls under it. I replaced my hat on the three balls. “That just leaves this one lonesome ball out here, don’t it? Let’s do something a little different with this one, whaddaya say?” I raised my left hand, palm towards them. I took the ball with my right hand and placed it against the palm. “Watch this now, watch closely. You can see the ball in the hand, right?” I opened the fingers a little. There was the ball. Then I suddenly opened the hand and the ball was gone. I smiled and lifted the hat to show four balls. I placed my hat back on the table. I picked up the four balls and put them in my pocket. I glanced at the couple in a playful manner. “You don’t reckon those balls are still in my pocket do you?” I slowed turned my gaze to my hat. Both parents had broad grins on their faces. I lifted my hat to show a giant sponge ball, about the size of a volleyball under the hat. THEN I took my bow – another couple had arrived. Unfortunately only four families arrived all night. A group of four administrators showed up so I performed for them, showed them a pocket knife that kept changing colors and did a card trick. Then I asked why there were so few people. They told me that most of the kids were in-patient right now and the parents were in the rooms with them. I remembered the room last month, teeming with little bald heads. Now there were four families eating quietly. I wanted to cry. Then I noticed that every now and then a single parent would show up and get a plate of food to go for their young ones battling in the hospital. The volunteers always tried to make sure that anybody else in that child’s room got fed too. They would send them away with three or four take out boxes. The families of the victims are victims too. Then I saw her, Sanai’s mom. The mother of the little girl with the HOPE baseball cap. She was alone. Sanai was in patient. Sanai was busy fighting. I saw the exhausted look on her face and watched as my wife spoke a few soft words to her. She smiled weakly and hurried away. I didn’t want to intrude. I said a little prayer that I would see her and maybe Sanai next month. I turned back to my few families to make another round. Maybe it was time to show them my linking rings. All evening I watched with pride as my daughter danced around the room running to refill cups and my wife did what she could, greeting and asking families if they needed anything at all. Towards the end of the evening a young couple showed up with little Cody. He was maybe three years old. He was adorable on his little riding toy. It was one of those without pedals, you push along with your feet. He was smiling as big as he could, his entirely bald head reflecting the lights above. He giggled and waved, saying over and over “Cody” as everyone asked his name. When he saw the ladies he blew them a kiss and they swooned. “Heartbreaker, you are going to be a heartbreaker.” They all said. He got to me and I pulled out the trick that all kids love, D-lights. I reached up and a red light appeared at my finger tips. I tossed it to the other hand, then back again. Then I put it in one ear and it came out the other, then, then… Cody’s face screwed up and he started crying. He turned to his mother and showed an angry red surgery scar on the back of his head. Quickly I put away the lights and pulled out my sponge balls. He liked those. Oh Cody… I’m sorry I brought you a moment of pain, even a small moment. I am blessed. I have a strong family that have hearts filled with joy and generosity. Nobody is sick and we are ready to help those that are. I kissed my wife as we walked out into the chill night of Memphis in January. We’ll be back. |
Tom Fenton Inner circle Leeds, UK (but I'm Scottish) 1477 Posts |
Rik
Thanks for that, you've made me feel better.
"But there isn't a door"
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