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For Shana Meyer spreading kindness means spreading the word about diversity and acceptance and giving back to the place that provides them both along with summers of fun for her children---Sunnyhill Adventures.
Meyer was offered the Pay It Forward Challenge on the Oprah Winfrey Show. She joined an audience of about 300 others, and it soon became apparent that it was going to be one of Oprah’s famous “give away” shows. Only this one had a catch. The gift audience members received had to be passed on to others.
Every member of the audience went home with $1,000 and a Sony DVD camera. The challenge was to spread “love and kindness” by donating the money to a charitable cause. Audience members had one week to give away their money and film their story.
Meyer knew just where her kindness would make a difference. Sunnyhill Adventures, a camp in Dittmer, Missouri provides exciting camping experiences for children and adults of all abilities along with a program for adults called “On the Road Adventures.” The program, owned and operated by the Council for Extended Care, offers challenges where progress is the only measure of success whether that’s a rung on the ladder or climbing to the top of their 50 foot Alpine Tower.
Meyer became aware of the camp when a friend told her of the wonderful experiences her own child had there. Meyer has two children with disabilities, and one without. After sending her own children, Gabby and Jake, Meyer was sold.
“It’s a great experience for them. Sunnyhill is an inclusive camp that serves children with and without disabilities. I want my kids to go to camp together,” she said.
So, on Oct. 26, Meyer took up the challenge to give back the kindness shown to her own children and others at Sunnyhill Adventures. She asked businesses for help.
The response to Meyer’s request was overwhelming and yielded for Sunnyhill, not only the original $1,000 gift, but a lengthy list of merchandise and other donations from individuals and businesses throughout the St. Louis area. Among the gifts were a new washer and dryer, a new copy machine, t-shirts and pizza for campers, materials and labor for the roof a new cabin, furniture, as well as monetary donations. When it was over donations and merchandise totaled.
On Nov. 2, Meyer and a happy group of children presented the gifts to a delighted Rob Darroch, director of the camp.
“It’s awesome,” Darroch said. “They said they were going to help this place, and they were true to their word.”
Meyer then returned to the Oprah show on Nov. 21 to tape the final show, and there at the beginning of the program which aired Nov. 28, were the children releasing balloons at Sunnyhill Adventures---in celebration of kindness. |
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