A heart warming story! (have fun kids. You deserve it)

[agame2323]

Since Michael Jackson died I have not watched the news. I have just been so disgusted at how the mainstream media has riddled this family with disrespect, and no matter what anyone, you or I included, might have thought of him, the truth of the matter is

-the man was still a human being and his kids and family deserve some privacy and space. And I know that I’m not the only one that feels this way, so I purposely kept the TV off. Anyway, I was walking through the house, and I don’t know how this TV was on, but I saw a little boy on the news crying his eyes out. So I turned it up. Here is this kid talking about being kicked out of the Valley Swim Club outside Philadelphia because he was black. Did you hear me? I said, “No way, this can’t be! It’s 2009. I don’t believe this!” But, I know it happens even in this year of Obama.

As I listened to the story, the anchorperson went on to talk about a woman named Althea Wright. This young lady started a non-profit called Creative Steps to help inner-city children. And apparently she had booked the Valley Swim Club’s pool and paid for it to be used by the children throughout the summer. As we all know, this is such a great thing. During the summer our kids can get into a lot of trouble if they don’t have something creative to do. Anyway, as the story went on, I was shocked to find out that it wasn’t just him but 65 children in all, black and Hispanic kids, that were kicked out of the pool. You should Google this story and read it online for yourself. It’s crazy! I went from being mad to being furious.

The news reporter went on to say that the president of the club and its members said, and I quote, “We don’t want to change the complexion of our club.” The president refunded the money of the children and asked them not to come back. WHAT?! I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I said I have to do something for these children. I can’t let them think that they are inferior because of the color of their skin. Then that night I saw the president of the Valley Swim Club on the news again saying that he misspoke and that it was a safety issue and the club wasn’t able to accommodate so many children. But the children themselves reportedly said that members were taking their kids out of the pool, and that they were saying things like, “Why are they here?” and “They’re black,” even insinuating that these kids would steal or maybe hurt their children.

Now get this. A few days later I catch the story again on CNN. This time the club was inviting the kids to come and swim. WHAT?! I’m confused. If you refunded the money because there was not enough room in the pool and it was a safety issue then why are you asking the same 65 kids to come back?

This is awful, and for anyone that has grown up in the inner-city, you know that one small act of kindness can change your life. These kids see the images of President Obama on TV and then they see the drug dealers and thugs on the corner. Which do you think is more their reality? One act of kindness, one person telling them that they are special, one moment of encouragement can make them move mountains. I know it to be true because I was one of them. They don’t need to be called names and be told that they are less than, because of the color of their skin or because of where they come from.

That’s why I’m telling you this. Since you all have put me in the position to be able to do something I feel like by me doing this we are all doing it together. This is all about the kids. So, thank you for letting me do this. Thank you so much. And do me a favor please. When you see these kids coming through the airport, (I’m sure you won’t be able to miss them. I imagine they are going to be super excited) when you see them in the park and in the hotel, let’s show them a whole lot of love and respect. Show them that they are just as good as anyone else. And show them that they can do or be anything they want to be no matter what anyone says!

Thanks,

Tyler Perry

http://www.tylerperry.com/_Messages/

 

[eduk8r26]

Make sure you click on the link to read what Tyler Perry did. Part of it has been left out. It will really make your day.

 

[Avalon_toon]

What a terrible event, and wow, what a generous gift he's giving those kids!

 

[dare2dream]

. . . . I know it to be true because I was one of them. They don't need to be called names and be told that they are less than, because of the color of their skin or because of where they come from.

I was told that one of these children, a seven year old, asked her mother if she was "to black to be in a pool." How do you answer that? How do you get a seven year old past that? Again, it broke my heart and I wanted to do something, and I feel like you all would want to do something, too. That's why I'm telling you this. Since you all have put me in the position to be able to do something I feel like by me doing this we are all doing it together. So what I did was on Aug 1st thru 3rd I'm sending these kids to Disney World, and then to a Disney water park. I want them to know that for every act of evil that a few people will throw at you, there are millions more who will do something kind for them. This is all about the kids. So, thank you for letting me do this. Thank you so much. And do me a favor please. When you see these kids coming through the airport, (I'm sure you won't be able to miss them. I imagine they are going to be super excited) when you see them in the park and in the hotel, let's show them a whole lot of love and respect. Show them that they are just as good as anyone else. And show them that they can do or be anything they want to be no matter what any one says!

Thanks,

Tyler Perry

Watch out Disney for these special children. If you see them there remind them that they can do anything and accomplish anything with hard work. I hope these children have the trip of a lifetime and it inspires them to accomplish much with their lives. Thank you Tyler Perry for doing this.

 

[coolbeans]

sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MELISAZACK]

I live in this area and there is more to the story then the news outlets are putting out there.
I belong to a private swim club and pay a HEAFTY price for the summer.
It is not that crowded due to the price which is why I joined there a pay the larger cost. I would be raising all hell if a camp was to show up there regardless color,race or sex if it made the pool more crowed then its normal day, on a constant basis.
Just to play devils advocate - if this camp was white would we be hearing the same thing and would they be going to Disney??? If so Someone owes my childs daycare a heafty little prize - they were dismissed from a "private" swim club about 7 yrs ago -swim club said there were too many of them! Guess they used better wording then valley.

 

[KAMLEM]

Just to play devils advocate - if this camp was white would we be hearing the same thing and would they be going to Disney??? If so Someone owes my childs daycare a heafty little prize - they were dismissed from a "private" swim club about 7 yrs ago -swim club said there were too many of them! Guess they used better wording then valley.

You would not be hearing the same thing because they would not have been excluded to begin with and there would be no issue. I doubt that anyone believes the "too crowded" excuse.

 

[MELISAZACK]

Well I know where the pool is and the size... If I was a member the extra kids would be an issue to me regardless of race. They should of given them the pool from say 8-11 prior to members arriving like other pools do with Camps and then there would be no issue.

 

[Octoberbride03]

Well there are always 2 sides to the story. And since i only saw 1 side printed in a very small side column in the USAToday(cause we all know good that is) I'm actually inclined to listen to what the pool board has to say. I used to live in the area and though i've never been to Valley swim club I can tell you that private clubs are quite prevalent in the area. And you pay for the priviledge, I belonged to Hilltop and just the members alone made it quite crowded on hot days.

I will say this too, I don't doubt that many of the kids are too young to understand that they are not at fault for what's going on. So now kids are in the middle of an adult problem. Often happens, but it shouldn't. I think it was nice of Tyler to give them all a trip to WDW and I hope they have a good time.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

what an awesome thing to do!!!!!

I hope the people in the airports and at Disney do show them extra love and magic!!!!!!

(ETA: IMHO, the over crowding thing is just a convenient excuse...they really should have thought of that before making the contract if it was going to be a factor. Given the comments directed at the kids, I think we know exactly why they were kicked out.)

 

[ChrizJen]

I live in this area and there is more to the story then the news outlets are putting out there.
I belong to a private swim club and pay a HEAFTY price for the summer.
It is not that crowded due to the price which is why I joined there a pay the larger cost. I would be raising all hell if a camp was to show up there regardless color,race or sex if it made the pool more crowed then its normal day, on a constant basis.
Just to play devils advocate - if this camp was white would we be hearing the same thing and would they be going to Disney??? If so Someone owes my childs daycare a heafty little prize - they were dismissed from a "private" swim club about 7 yrs ago -swim club said there were too many of them! Guess they used better wording then valley.

It's not like the group just "showed up". They paid to be there too. So if you're going to place blame for the crowds, then blame the club/association. They're the ones who took their money and then kicked them out when things got "too crowded". You can play devil's advocate all you want. But what took place was wrong. Plain and simple.

And did your child's daycare pay to swim at the swim club? If so, then they shouldn't have been dismissed either. I don't care what color your skin is. No child should ever be made to feel the way those kids were made to feel.

 

[Louiepipbgeeco]

Hats off to Tyler Perry. What a wonderful thing he did for the children!

 

[sbell111]

It's not like the group just "showed up". They paid to be there too. So if you're going to place blame for the crowds, then blame the club/association. They're the ones who took their money and then kicked them out when things got "too crowded". You can play devil's advocate all you want. But what took place was wrong. Plain and simple.

As I understand the situation, members complained to the club. The club caved to the membership and told the day camp that they could no longer come and refunded their money.

Honestly, it sounded like the club was between a rock and a hard place. Whichever decision they made would anger one group or the pther. They chose to anger the group that doesn't pay them all year, year after year.

And did your child's daycare pay to swim at the swim club? If so, then they shouldn't have been dismissed either. I don't care what color your skin is. No child should ever be made to feel the way those kids were made to feel.

As I understand it, the only things that were said that would make the kids feel poorly were said by other children. I don't see how the club should be penalized for these non-repeated, non-sanctioned, and non-witnessed actions.

 

[Tink&SquirtsMom]

Way to go Tyler Perry.

I live in this area and there is more to the story then the news outlets are putting out there.
I belong to a private swim club and pay a HEAFTY price for the summer.
It is not that crowded due to the price which is why I joined there a pay the larger cost. I would be raising all hell if a camp was to show up there regardless color,race or sex if it made the pool more crowed then its normal day, on a constant basis.
Just to play devils advocate - if this camp was white would we be hearing the same thing and would they be going to Disney??? If so Someone owes my childs daycare a heafty little prize - they were dismissed from a "private" swim club about 7 yrs ago -swim club said there were too many of them! Guess they used better wording then valley.

Thats irrelevant because the white daycamps that also rent this same club (yes multiple day camps rent it out on different weekdays over the summer, and only this one which "happened" to be the black and hispanic one was turned away). Somehow I'm doubting that was a coincidence. The facts that have been reported from what happened on that day (by both club members and the people turned away) are DISGUSTING. It made my stomach turn when I saw some of the club members interviewed on TV. I am shocked that anyone would defend them.