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Summer 2020Summer 2020 Let’s Roam a partnership providing hope through scavenger hunts HopeNotes MagazineHopeNotes Magazine Meet HopeKidMeet HopeKid MielaMiela Virtual Programming hope (even virtually) is a powerful medicineContents Volume 3, Issue 2 Summer 2020 Features 4 Let’s Roam Partnership 6 Event Highlights 8 Thanks for Your Support 9 Program Partners 10 Virtual Programming 12 Get Involved On the Cover Miela is a 4-year-old heart transplant warrior. She loves socializing and has a lot of fun playing with her older siblings. Her adventurous and energetic spirit make her an absolute joy. Since joining HopeKids in 2018, Miela’s family has enjoyed the carnival pictured on the cover, finding the perfect pumpkin for Halloween and theater productions - to name their favorites! “HopeKids has given our family opportunities to take Miela on adventures that make us feel comfortable and safe. HopeKids has also afforded us the opportunity to take all five family members to a unique range of events that we normally wouldn’t be budgeting. We are so grateful for these adventures.” - Carie, Miela’s mom3 4 6 8 10 Featured StoryFeatured Story a partnership providing hope through scavenger hunts Event HighlightsEvent Highlights finding community virtually Thank YouThank You from all of us to you Virtual ProgrammingVirtual Programming creative events families have on their calendar4 “We have been living in isolation since March 12th and will be limited to this way of life for the foreseeable future. Maintaining our connections with the outside world has never been more critical. We are so thankful for HopeKids for offering fun, virtual activities all three of us can enjoy, and keeping us connected to the outside world. Let’s Roam scavenger hunts have been our favorite activity by far. They engaged our imagination while throwing in some physical activity that catered to various physical abilities. They provide opportunities to learn — and doing this with our fellow HopeKids friends was a blast. I check the HopeKids schedule weekly hoping to see another Let’s Roam event.” - Jean, Noah’s mom HOW A PARTNERSHIP WITH AN ADVENTURE COMPANY IS PROVIDING HOPE HOPEKIDS ROAM AT HOME: “This quarantine has brought such a mixed bag of emotions. Sad that we have to stay home even more now, but at the same time, grateful that others may finally have a better understanding of what cancer families endure. I think it has brought a public awareness to hygiene; that is a bit of a relief, for me at least. Now, it feels like everyone cares as much as we have had to. This situation also gives a small glimpse into what it is like for families, like ours, when your child gets cancer. Except this time, there are so many more resources available, like free virtual museum tours, online workouts, lesson plans, etc. I see many postings on social media about how sad it is for kids who are missing out on sport seasons, graduations and other milestones, and I know their sadness. These are the things that Jack (and so many others like him) have been missing for years.” - Sherri T., Minnesota mom5 “We have been living in isolation since March 12th and will be limited to this way of life for the foreseeable future. Maintaining our connections with the outside world has never been more critical. We are so thankful for HopeKids for offering fun, virtual activities all three of us can enjoy, and keeping us connected to the outside world. Let’s Roam scavenger hunts have been our favorite activity by far. They engaged our imagination while throwing in some physical activity that catered to various physical abilities. They provide opportunities to learn — and doing this with our fellow HopeKids friends was a blast. I check the HopeKids schedule weekly hoping to see another Let’s Roam event.” - Jean, Noah’s mom Many of us can understand the craving for connection during this strange time when social distancing is recommended for our well-being. Unfortunately, this is a reality for families who have a child with a life- threatening medical condition, even in a world free from a pandemic. HopeKids families are familiar with isolation because they understand that a common cold can hinder treatments, or endanger their immunocompromised child’s health. As the news of COVID-19 spread around the world, HopeKids leadership met to discuss how we could continue to provide hope and a supportive community to families, despite our regular face-to- face programming being suspended. This opened the door for the creation of a new virtual program, which immediately proved successful. It didn’t take long for us to learn the benefits, beyond COVID-19, in always providing virtual programming. Many of our families experience isolation during cold and flu season, or are confined to hospital beds for weeks or even months at a time. We’re improving as an organization by supporting families, regardless of their location, and connecting families across HopeKids chapters. Through this virtual programming, exciting new relationships have formed, like that with Let’s Roam. Let’s Roam is an exploration and adventure company that helps people discover new things, explore the world, and connect with others through city tours, scavenger hunts, virtual games and team building activities. As COVID-19 confined people to their homes, Let’s Roam got creative and quickly pivoted to also offer indoor scavenger hunts as a way for families to connect and do something fun while staying indoors. Let’s Roam generously supported our virtual programming by providing HopeKids families with indoor scavenger hunts. As part of our national partnership, for each scavenger hunt purchased over the summer, Let’s Roam will donate a hunt to HopeKids. More than an event on the calendar, Let’s Roam is providing hope for the future to families who have a child with a life-threatening medical condition. We look forward to growing HopeKids’ new virtual program, with partners like Let’s Roam. Partnerships like this help us continue to serve our families in an even more diverse and impactful way. “We are thrilled and honored to be partnering with HopeKids. One of Let’s Roam’s founding core values is ‘make a positive impact’. We’re always seeking ways to impact our world. We greatly admire the work that HopeKids does, and the community it has built. When we learned that HopeKids was in need of more fun virtual/remote events for the families they serve, we realized immediately that we could make a difference and the partnership was a no-brainer. People can underestimate the importance of fun in hard times, but we think that having a good time, going on in-home adventures, and prioritizing activities that brighten your day, is more essential than ever. Through this partnership, we hope that every scavenger hunt we donate brightens the day of a HopeKids family.” - Charlie Harding, Let’s Roam CEO6 GREYSON, HOPEKID MAKE YOUR OWN DOG TREATS COLORADO “Greyson and I really enjoyed the Learn to Make Your Own Dog Treats event! We are huge dog people - Violet goes just about everywhere with us if she’s allowed so it was really neat to be able to include his favorite ‘sibling’ in an activity. She loved it, too!” - Amber, Greyson’s mom 67 My husband and I really enjoyed meeting and interacting with other HopeKids parents during the Price is Right Parents Night. It was nice to connect with others and provided a socially distant, safe date night for us! - Brittany, Daisy’s mom “ ” It’s such a blessing to be a family of seven, but it has its challenges. With the added challenge of Marlena having cancer, our family hasn’t been able to do as many amazing things as we have been able to do with HopeKids. Marlena will not let go of her key [to the Batmobile!] What an experience for our entire family! After such a rough year, we are so thankful for all of the things we get to smile about now! - Catalina, Marlena’s mom “” MARLENA, HOPEKID BAT CAVE VIRTUAL TOUR NORTH TEXASWith a little help from some of our friends, we want to say thank you. Thank you to the donors, volunteers and event partners who support HopeKids and believe that hope (even virtually) is a powerful medicine! SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PROGRAM PARTNERS9 SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PROGRAM PARTNERS Events were provided by 92 different program partners in March, April and May. These generous companies and organizations helped provide hope through an ongoing calendar of events. If you are interested in becoming a program partner, please contact your local chapter. Take a look at the March, April and May HopeDay and HopeCommunity Program Partners. Arizona Arizona Coyotes Hockey Club Arizona Helping Hands Bob Wesolowski Photography Cindy Joiner Photography Colten Cowell Foundation Main Event Notre Dame Preparatory High School Papa John’s Parada del Sol Phoenix Suns Reid Park Zoo Roadhouse Cinemas Scott Bates Photography Steve’s Dream Inc. Tucson Speedway Va Va Voom Photography Western Destinations Colorado Allied Global Marketing Beyond the Walls Church Camp Gladiator Castle Rock Fire Station #54 Colorado Symphony Discovery Church Game Day Memories Great Benjamins Circus Highlands Ranch High School Thespians Holy Family High School Kroenke Sports & Entertainment Let’s Roam Parker Parks and Recreation Party Like a Princess Princesses Ever After Sports Business and Leadership Association Spotlight Performing Arts Center Warner Brothers Kansas City Aldersgate UMC Bury the Hatchet Chicken N Pickle Chuy’s Mexican Food Clean Heart Maids Cycle the Heart Dave & Buster’s Dominos Donutology HopeOutdoors iWerx KC Auto Show Main Event Nothing Bundt Cakes Quality Lawn Care Random Acts of Coffee RoKC Sporting Kansas City The Coterie Topgolf Middle tennessee Nashville Predators Nashville Zoo at Grassmere Tennessee Performing Arts Center Minnesota Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Game Day Memories Gilda’s Club Twin Cities Grace Church Roseville KTIS Mats Zuccarello Minnesota Timberwolves Minnesota Wild St. Michael Cinema Stages Theatre Company The Fun Lab Tradition Capital Bank Wellbeats Westwood Community Church Bush Lake Winnesota north texas Alamo Drafthouse Cinema AT&T Performing Arts Center Central Arts Hurst Cross Timbers Church Dallas Mavericks Foundation Dallas Stars Foundation Dallas Summer Musicals Goldfish Swim School Greater Keller Chamber Microsoft Milestone Church Paul Freundlich Associates Snooze Summit Climbing Grapevine Topgolf Torchy’s Tacos Interested in partnering with HopeKids to provide an event to families who have a child with a life-threatening medical condition? 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