Wolftever Creek Elementary School

I had a WONDERFUL time at Wolftever Creek Elementary School on Monday, April 29, 2013!!

     Shortly after my visit to Westview Elementary, a friend from high school reached out to me about visiting Wolftever Creek Elementary.  Christy Odum Penny is the PTA president and arranged for me to come and read to the WHOLE school!!  I attended this school back when it was called Ooltewah Intermediate.

     I hate to keep sounding like a broken record but I really do love visiting with all these children.  They really seem interested in learning more about me and why I need to use a wheelchair.  Or it could just be that they love any excuse to get out of class.  ;-)  Whatever it is, I would like to think I could be making a little difference.  When I hear back from the parents on my Facebook page about how their child came home talking about me, I know I must be doing something right.

     Christy made plans for me to read first to kindergarten and first grade, then to second and third grade, and finally to forth and fifth grade.  Since the groups were so large, we meet in the cafeteria.  I even got to use a microphone.  ;-)  Breaking the children into these groups worked great during the Q&A session.  I was able to answer their questions and explain things on a level they could understand.  With the older children, I was able to give more detailed information about my diagnosis.

     The highlight of my time with the children is during the Q&A session.  You can't get anything past kids.  LOL!!  One of the little boys from the first group asked me why my foot was purple.  I really wanted to tell him I had super powers but instead I told him the truth, it was because my blood flow was bad due to the fact that I sit in my wheelchair most of the day.

     I had two great questions from the oldest group of children.  The first question was if I would be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.   I told them that because of the Jain Foundation I had high hopes I would NOT need a wheelchair for the rest of my life.  The Jain Foundation is doing an amazing thing in the science/research world by bringing scientist and researchers together to share data with the hopes of finding a cure/treatment sooner.  The second question was asked by a young lady.  She wanted to know what would be the first thing I would do if there was a treatment and I was cured.  WOW!!  Talk about being put on the spot.  I have often dreamed of being cured but never what my 'first' action would be.  I really had to stop and think.  My answer, of course, involved my daughter Annabelle.  If I was cured, the first thing I would want to do is to scoop Annabelle up and run outside.  To chase her around the yard and roll around in the grass with her.  She loves to be outside.  I can see it just as plain as day in my mind, can you?

     What a wonderful day!!  I am truly blessed to be able to share a little bit of my story with these children.  You never know when you will leave a lasting impression on a child.

     Later that evening, I sent Christy my email address so she could send the pictures she took to me.  To my surprise, Christy immediately responded and told me that the PTA at Wolftever Creek Elementary School wanted to donate $100.00 to go towards my entry fee to the Ms Wheelchair America pageant.  I was blown away!!  Thank you so much to Christy and the rest of the PTA!!