Thank You to Spirit of Children

Mar 17, 2023

Thank You to Spirit of Children

Spirit Halloween's Spirit of Children has supported the Child Life department at Shriners Children's Twin Cities since 2008 and the program has raised over $686,000 for us locally! This amazing donation helps our Child Life department provide complimentary camps for our patients - watch how much that means to our kiddos! Thank you, Spirit of Children and Spirit Halloween for you continued support! About Spirit of Children At the heart of Spirit Halloween is Spirit of Children, a program which focuses on making hospitals less scary for kids and their families. Since 2007 Spirit of Children has raised over $110 million to provide funding for art, music, aquatic and pet therapy programs as well as supporting Child Life salaries. Funding has also helped partner hospitals purchase sensory and educational items, toys used for distraction during medical procedures, and much more. 100% of every dollar donated supports the Child Life department in our 154 partner hospitals across the United States and Canada and supports Child Life departments at hospitals in local communities.

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[Title Card] Thank you, Spirit of Children logo

Speaker 1:

Because of your donations, I was able to do Camp Bravo, Camp Achieve, and Downhill skiing, which led to me being on the race team. I also got to meet some new friends. Thank you!

Speaker 2:

Thank you for your donation.

Speaker 3:

So we can come ski with our friends.

Speaker 4:

Because of your donation, I learned how to ski. Thank you.

Chloe Hoffman:

Hi, my name is Chloe Hoffman, and I am 20 years old, and I'm also a left below-the-knee amputee. I had my leg amputated about five years ago of January 2018, and because of Maureen, I have been able to attend many camps that were tailored for amputees.

We've gone skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, dog sledding. We've done a lot, and I've made new connections, new friends, created these relationships, and hung out with people that understand the life of an amputee. They can really relate to you, and it's just so nice having people understand what you go through, and I'm just so forever thankful for Maureen. We've been in contact ever since. I was about 13, 14, 15 years old, I've been a part of Shriners and it's just been wonderful having someone to help find these opportunities and help me just become more confident in myself as an amputee, so I'm just forever grateful for Maureen.

Speaker 6:

Because of your donations, I was able to perform in a musical and have lots of fun.

Speaker 7:

Thank you for your donation so that I can come ski today.

Speaker 8:

Because of your donation, I was able to go skiing for the first time.

Mariah:

Hi, my name is Mariah. I started going to Shriners when I was two years old because I had an amputation of my left leg below the knee from osteosarcoma. I want to thank Shriners so much for what they have done for me because a highlight of my time with Shriners was going to the Camp Achieve.

There I got to be with other kids that I got to see who also wear prosthesis and we got to do fun activities. It was a place where I could just be myself as well as try new things that sometimes it was awkward to do with other kids such as like going to the water park, it's different when you go with a whole bunch of other kids who also wear prosthesis. But was there we also did other activities such as skiing, both Alpine and cross-country. We went fishing and rock climbing, which now, I'm 26, and I've actually gotten into rock climbing and done competitive paraclimbing with the community as well as been able to run and completed two half-marathons. I want to thank Shriners so much for giving me the independence and also the confidence to be able to try these activities and also be able to be around others who had prosthesis and wear prosthesis. So thank you so much for everything you've done.

Speaker 9:

Thank you for donating.

Speaker 10:

Your donation has helped so many people all over the place be able to experience things that they've never been able to experience. Things that they might not have been able to do otherwise, make new friends that they can relate to and all sorts of other good things. Thank you for your donation, and thank you for helping make sure that all of this stuff can continue to happen.

Speaker 11:

Thank you for your donations.

Speaker 12:

Because of your donation, I was able to meet new people and gain many new experiences. Thank you.

Speaker 13:

Thank you for donating.

Speaker 14:

Because of your donation, I have been able to perform at Camp Bravo for as long as I can remember, which has inspired in me a love for theater that I carry with me to this day. I've also been able to go to the Apostle Islands where I've kayaked and made friendships that will last for me for my entire life.

Speaker 15:

But through your donation, I was able to follow my dreams.

Speaker 16:

Thanks to Shriners. I've been a blessed with many opportunities like downhill skiing, water skiing, and Camp Achieve where I met many friends just like me. I've also been able to bike safely with my prosthetic.

Speaker 17:

Thank you, Shriners, for sending me to camp.

Speaker 18:

Because of your donations, I was able to attend camps and activities where I felt that I was not different, and I had a place where I truly belonged.

Speaker 19:

Thank you for the donation because of you could go to the camp.

Speaker 20:

What was your favorite thing about the camp bud?

Speaker 19:

I don't have one.

Speaker 20:

Because you liked it all?

Speaker 19:

Yes.

Speaker 20:

Okay.

Speaker 21:

All because of Shriners, I know what it's like to be in Camp Bravo. Thank you.

Speaker 22:

For all of your donations, I've been able to do a lot of stuff like fun stuff like-

Speaker 23:

Rock climbing.

Speaker 22:

Super fun, snow skiing. Yeah, snow skiing, water skiing in the summer. Met one of my friends, Tommy. Yeah, Thank you. Thank you.

Izzy Blanchard:

I am Izzy Blanchard. I'm 20 years old, and thanks to you I have been able to go on summer camps, winter camps since I was about six years old. And these experiences have been life-changing. And when I look back at my experiences with summer camps and with being able go whitewater rafting in Utah and being able to do all these amazing fun adventures. Literally those moments have first off been the most memorable moments of my life, because they have allowed me to grow and change into just grow into this person that I am today and be confident in who I am and be able to speak my truth and just be rooted and grounded in myself.

And to also know that throughout all of that self-growth that I've learned just literally because of going on these camps, I've been able to do that because I've been able to connect with other people who are just like me and being able to create and establish this little community of people and to know that I am not alone and they are not alone, and that we are actually all in this together and we will always have each other's backs.

And that is priceless. The connections that I've made with people because of these camps and because of being able to go on these things. I mean, I wouldn't change it for the world because it means so so much to me like a million times over, I couldn't even explain it or describe how intense that those feelings are because it, truly, being able to do this is life changing.

It makes everything easier and better in life, and I just... Thank you for doing everything that you do, and for allowing other people like me to be able to meet each other because it means the world. And I am so grateful and I'm so thankful that I've been able to experience all the things that I've been able to experience and meet the people that I met and they're all still in my life and that is so valuable to me. So just from all of my heart, thank you so much. I wouldn't be the person who I am today without you and without being able to do these things and I love it. Thank you so much.

[Title Card] Thank you! Spirit of Children logo, Shriners Children’s Twin Cities logo.

Spirit of Children Donations 2009-2022

1/12/2022 $105,303.33

1/15/2021 $75,866

1/6/2020 $67,395

1/22/2019 $69,845

1/11/2018 $43,707

1/19/2017 $40,997

1/27/2016 $49,055

1/28/2015 $31,660

1/3/2014 $32,430

1/28/2013 $23,780