2008 Woodie Awards
Restoring Hope
St. John's students travel to this non-profit resort to fulfill wishes, create memories, and Give Kids the World
Stephanie Deluca, Staff Writer
Issue date: 4/18/07 Section: Features
When can an infinite amount of ice cream, candy,
whipped cream, sprinkles and cherries make a difference
in a child's life? It's when unfortunate circumstances
have caused them to realize the value of the little
things in life.
Spring break for college students usually consists of
traveling to Cancun with friends, partying and forgetting
all about school work. Contrastingly, for twelve
generous St. John's students from the Queens and
Staten Island campuses, it was donating their time to
children who have been born with life-threatening illnesses
through the Give Kids the World program.
Twelve student leaders representing seven different
sororities from both campuses flew to Florida in order
to spend time with these children and make their day a
little brighter.
"I see a young girl who is eating an ice cream sundae
look up at her father and say 'this is the life'," said
Chad Sandifer, the Greek advisor from the Staten
Island campus. "How does a child so young understand
what it takes many people a lifetime to understand?"
Give Kids the World is a non-profit resort in Central
Florida that works to makes wishes come true for children
with terminal illnesses. Mary Pelkowski, the
Director of Leadership Development at St. John's,
brainstormed the idea with DePaul University this past
summer and proposed that St. John's participate.
They
applied for an application process on Labor Day of last
year and shortly after, it was approved and generously
supported by Student Government Inc.
"We wanted to do whatever we could to make the
families happy," Pelkowski said. "The child was the
main focus."
The children in the program ranged from infants to
16 years of age. The students involved also got to know
the families of the children and each child's unique situation.
The volunteers not only made ice cream sundaes
with them but played basketball, made arts and
whipped cream, sprinkles and cherries make a difference
in a child's life? It's when unfortunate circumstances
have caused them to realize the value of the little
things in life.
Spring break for college students usually consists of
traveling to Cancun with friends, partying and forgetting
all about school work. Contrastingly, for twelve
generous St. John's students from the Queens and
Staten Island campuses, it was donating their time to
children who have been born with life-threatening illnesses
through the Give Kids the World program.
Twelve student leaders representing seven different
sororities from both campuses flew to Florida in order
to spend time with these children and make their day a
little brighter.
"I see a young girl who is eating an ice cream sundae
look up at her father and say 'this is the life'," said
Chad Sandifer, the Greek advisor from the Staten
Island campus. "How does a child so young understand
what it takes many people a lifetime to understand?"
Give Kids the World is a non-profit resort in Central
Florida that works to makes wishes come true for children
with terminal illnesses. Mary Pelkowski, the
Director of Leadership Development at St. John's,
brainstormed the idea with DePaul University this past
summer and proposed that St. John's participate.
They
applied for an application process on Labor Day of last
year and shortly after, it was approved and generously
supported by Student Government Inc.
"We wanted to do whatever we could to make the
families happy," Pelkowski said. "The child was the
main focus."
The children in the program ranged from infants to
16 years of age. The students involved also got to know
the families of the children and each child's unique situation.
The volunteers not only made ice cream sundaes
with them but played basketball, made arts and
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