Cotton candy + juice box = Happy Frank
Thanks to our dear friend Christina Dietrich, we were invited to help entertain at a foster family picnic, hosted by Olive Crest, another non-profit. The picnic had a carnival theme, so along with Chrissy facepainting, there was tiny hat making, games for tickets and prizes, a contortionist, dress-up, and Vita, offering both juggling balls and instruction, and our buddy Sage (remember him from Cheese?) performing as his mummer persona Frank.
Honestly, sometimes arts outreach is SO simple, as when you tell a kid they can keep the balls you helped them make and they are either overwhelmed with gratitude, or not sure that you really mean they can just walk off with shiny new juggling balls. Then there was Marquis, who already knew how to juggle, and who circled back to say thank you again. There were also several girls whose coordination helped them take to juggling two balls almost at once, and who clearly liked being good at something.
Changing lives is a hefty affair, but touching them? It’s not so hard. A kind word, a gentle push, an affecting gift, and you create a memory, or one of those diverging time streams that science fiction likes to talk so much about. Is it as simple as juggling balls = healthy life versus no juggling balls = life of crime? Probably not. But it’s nice to think so, and it’s even nicer to go home knowing that what you made a difference, however small, that what you did contributed to the quality of life for someone, or someones.
Our great thanks to folks like Carey and Jennifer, who helped us get there, and to everyone else who was involved in the shenanigans, including the folks who helped provide outstandingly delicious food. Thanks to Sage for being willing to help us out on short notice and for going above and beyond his skills as a performer, clown, and sleight of hand artist. He not only delighted kids with his work, but also helped me make balls and teach juggling. Jon showed up at just the right time to show off his juggling skills, eat some cake, and give me a much-needed break.
We are already potentially invited back for next year, and an event such as this, which even with rain brought in a very impressive number of foster parents and kids of all ages, we’ll definitely make time. We look forward to it!