Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Some Kids Have Lived Nightmares

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.  Those of you who know me well know that one of my mottos is (adapted from Steel Magnolias) "holiday decorating is what separates us from the animals," so Halloween is big at Paige's house.  I have tons of pumpkins, witches, and ghosts -- pretty much covering every surface in the den, dining room, and adorning the front yard.

Last night, one of Community Partners of Dallas' best donor and volunteer groups (the Northwood Woman's Club, aka NWC) hosted a Halloween party for the kids in our Heart Program.  The Heart Program provides group treatment for kids who have been sexually abused and for their non-offending family members.  The kids meet every Tuesday evening with therapists to talk about their abuse, their abusers, and their road to recovery. 

Anyway, last night about a dozen lovely ladies from NWC and several of our staff members threw a fun party for these special kids.  A hot dog dinner, fingernail painting, temporary tattoos, cookie decorating and more made a fun night with kids and adults dressed in costumes.  Here's a photo of some of the hostesses with me:


It is always so inspiring for me to be around these boys and girls (ranging in age from 6 to 16) who have lived lives that you and I can't imagine.  They have lived real nightmares.  They have faced real demons.  BUT, all they want is to be like all the other kids.  Truly, with help, they can get over the sexual abuse.  They can move on.

And attending a Halloween party is a first step.

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