Honoring Noah

[princesskelz]

i will do anything to help the family. even if it is just a card. something to know that they are in my thoughts.

 

[jenb1023]

I agree - I think doing something at GKTW is the way to go. I think either a paver or a stuffed Tigger or both. Would GKTW earmark all of the individual donations for Noah and if we have enough money do both?

 

[maroo]

GKTW donations

I just got off the phone with GKTW and we have a plan for donations...

You will go to this website...

https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/GiveKidstheWorld/OnlineGiving.html

Which is the regular online giving site. (This is tax deductible, if you are interested in that and the donation will of course show up as your donation.)

In the COMMENTS section at the bottom of the form, type this...

PAVER FOR NOAH

The actual donation will go in the paver fund at GKTW. Once we reach $200, I will provide the information to GKTW that we want to have show up on the paver.

If we don't reach $200 - I will make up whatever amt we need. I have friends here that would love to donate to GKTW, too...so we will definitely make it to $200.

If we get above and beyond $200, then we can look at doing a plaque, etc for Noah and GKTW will help us with this.

If we get above and beyond that...we have other wish children that have passed away that are children of other DISers and it would be awesome to do a paver for each of those children.

I am also going to copy this information on Post 2 for all of us to use.

And I am working on getting an address for us to send cards. The church sounds like a great idea!

 

[DebIreland]

Poor baby Noah. I just started reading Nichole's TR and blog yesterday morning and when I got to the end my heart broke for them.

maroo, I hope you're okay. I know it must be very upsetting for you too. You don't know me but I read in Noah's TR how you had met Noah and his beautiful family and I am sure you have memories to treasure forever. You seem like a wonderful person.

I would love to send a mass card so please if you get the church address, I'd be very grateful for it.

R.I.P. beautiful little Noah.

 

[Jenvenza]

Maroo - thank you for doing this! I have been thinking about Noah and his family all day. I really hope we can get thier address so we can all send cards as well.

 

[jenb1023]

Thanks Maroo for all of your work on this!

I just donated on the website using the link and it was super easy.

I think doing pavers for other Wish kids or doing something else for Noah is a great idea with the extra money (or both).

Let us know on the address thing and let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

 

[Mom21]

I just made a donation, but I am going to Orlando in Sept and again in Dec. I would love to take something to GKTW in honor of that sweet baby smile with the name of Noah.

 

[maroo]

You guys are awesome...and I am in tears.

I just got off the phone with GKTW again and tried (probably failed miserably) to explain to the lady there about the DISboards that donations will be coming. I think she is not quite sure why we would care so much for a sweet little boy that most of us have never met. She was quite touched.


Don't worry...I will definitely be getting an address for Noah. It is just a matter of time on that. So feel free to buy your cards, etc and hang on for an address.


On a totally unrelated matter, for those of you guys not following my wacky pre-trippie, I have a close friend that is in the hospital here in MS and I will be at the hospital most of the rest of the day and maybe days as we wait for her to pull out of what is shaping up to be a life threatening complication. This one is hitting too close to home. So, I am sorta spinning a few plates right now, so please bear with me. I have internet at the hospital and will be on the DIS (probably more?), but if I am away a little bit, that is why. Just fyi, in case I am absent a bit.

 

[that's nice]

Maroo,
This is a great idea. We will be donating to GKTW in honor of Noah Thanks for getting this together... I know you have so much going on right now.

Tim


EDIT: Do you just put PAVER FOR NOAH in the Comments section or under the Gift Information too?
I just want to be sure the donation is going towards Noah's paver.
Thanks

 

[Sandy321]

You are crazy Maroo - just what the world needs!!

Keep in mind donating to Give Kids the World is the best thing we can do to honor, not only Noah, God Bless Him - but the future Noahs -

if you are not familiar do take time to go to gktw.org and realize that the donations are going to a worthy cause!

Give Kids The World finances its work through individual contributions, corporate donations, special event fundraisers and generous in-kind donations, including attraction tickets, meals and gifts. However, the organization also must cover cash expenses for the operation of the Give Kids The World Village. These expenses are in excess of $10 million annually. This funding is provided through corporate promotions, fundraising events and private donations. Give Kids The World does not solicit contributions over the phone or door-to-door.

Give Kids The World is committed to fiscal responsibility in stewarding the resources provided to us in fulfilling our mission. Of each dollar spent in the fiscal year 2008, approximately 93 cents was devoted to our program mission of providing a cost-free magical vacation for our special children and their families. Very few charitable organizations reach and sustain this level of administrative and fundraising efficiency.

 

[maroo]

EDIT: Do you just put PAVER FOR NOAH in the Comments section or under the Gift Information too?
I just want to be sure the donation is going towards Noah's paver.
Thanks

You can just do Comments or Gift Info...either way it will get to Noah's "fund"...They are going to keep an eye out for these gifts.

You are crazy Maroo - just what the world needs!!
Yes, I am definitely crazy!


Keep in mind donating to Give Kids the World is the best thing we can do to honor, not only Noah, God Bless Him - but the future Noahs -

if you are not familiar do take time to go to gktw.org and realize that the donations are going to a worthy cause!

Give Kids The World finances its work through individual contributions, corporate donations, special event fundraisers and generous in-kind donations, including attraction tickets, meals and gifts. However, the organization also must cover cash expenses for the operation of the Give Kids The World Village. These expenses are in excess of $10 million annually. This funding is provided through corporate promotions, fundraising events and private donations. Give Kids The World does not solicit contributions over the phone or door-to-door.

Give Kids The World is committed to fiscal responsibility in stewarding the resources provided to us in fulfilling our mission. Of each dollar spent in the fiscal year 2008, approximately 93 cents was devoted to our program mission of providing a cost-free magical vacation for our special children and their families. Very few charitable organizations reach and sustain this level of administrative and fundraising efficiency.

And this is VERY true! GKTW does spend their money very, very carefully and the website REALLY does not do this place justice...

To be there...with other families facing life threatening illnesses...and see your kids THAT happy.... There is no price tag you can put on that for these families... Everything for these families is free. Food, ice cream, lodging, ice cream, games, ice cream, parties (did I mention the ice cream?)...everything at GKTW is free to wish families who stay there!

If you are interested in more Wish Trips...check the Blue link in my siggie...we have a LOT of wish trip reports on there that describe GKTW.

Rest in peace, little Noah (although, where do we get that phrase? I think Noah is running on the streets of heaven today!) Run in Peace, little Noah!




And we love you Nichole, Brad, Joshua and Kailyn!!

 

[5dwarves]

Hey Maroo...

I am glad you started this seperate thread. I didn't know which thread to post questions on. First off, how is Rachel today? I hope that the doctors are getting a grasp on how best to help her. Please let Joyce know that there are lots of people online who are praying for their family. Second, I am excited about the prospect of donating to GKTW,(a place that was so wonderful and magical to lots of us on the DIS), on behalf of such a precious little boy, Noah. It is a great idea.

As an aside, I am sure Noah's family will be touched by the cards. My only concern is my cousin's experience when her son died. There were over 700 people at Justin's funeral and Rhonda received a deluge of cards for months afterwards. She said that after time went on, it became painful to her to go to the mailbox because each card was another stab in her heart in the loss of her son. Everyone means well, but it is such a vulnerable time. I think if we are going to send cards, we need to do it right away and not let time lag on. I would HATE for any condolences we have to offer them to cause them more hurt.

~Elisa

 

[maroo]

Elisa -

This is a very good point!

I have emailed Nichole and I am going to try to email someone on one of her other blogs...that may be able to get back to me.

I think sending them to the church is a good idea and hopefully right away!

Thank you for asking about Rachel. She is not doing well and your continued prayers for her family would be very much appreciated! I am trying to be good about regularly updating my pre-trip report (green link in siggie) with details about RaRa.

 

[that's nice]

You can just do Comments or Gift Info...either way it will get to Noah's "fund"...They are going to keep an eye out for these gifts.

Thanks Maroo

Tim

 

[wdwfan16]

I am new and have not followed his story. I saw this thread and just read the blog and some of the GKTW trip. This is so sad.

Wouldn't the best way to honor him be to donate money to allow another child the experience that he had. A stone is nice but helping another child get their wish is far nicer.

I read he has a star at GKTW (from the blog trip report), so he is forever going to be there.

 

[Sandy321]

I am new and have not followed his story. I saw this thread and just read the blog and some of the GKTW trip. This is so sad.

Wouldn't the best way to honor him be to donate money to allow another child the experience that he had. A stone is nice but helping another child get their wish is far nicer.

I read he has a star at GKTW (from the blog trip report), so he is forever going to be there.

Welcome to the DIS!

AS there are many varied people, there are many valued opinions!! I wanted to post the info on GKTW - esp how much goes back - so that people would know that the donation matters -

GKTW matters and means so much to so many people!

Its hard to put in words what the loss of a loved one feels like, the loss of a child - the hope and prayers of moms I know are that their child is NEVER forgotten - and I believe that is where the donation for the paver comes in -

just like many WDW lovers enjoy finding their brick or their legacy at Epcot -

and as you posted - some want to make sure that GKTW is there for other Make-a-Wish kids!!

so you do get to decide!! and KNOW without a doubt giving to GKTW makes a difference in the lives of children, parents, siblings - but also to those dedicated volunteers!!!

Its all good!!

 

[that's nice]

Wouldn't the best way to honor him be to donate money to allow another child the experience that he had. A stone is nice but helping another child get their wish is far nicer.

I do agree with this.

But I also think having the Paver is a wonderful idea.

Maybe Maroo can be in contact with GKTW and after the paver amount is reached the extra money can go to helping other kids some how? Either in park tix, food, or toys for the kids in Noah's name?

 

[Dani C]

Add me to the list of those wanting to contribute.

 

[wdwfan16]

Welcome to the DIS!

Thank you

 

[5dwarves]

I am new and have not followed his story. I saw this thread and just read the blog and some of the GKTW trip. This is so sad.

Wouldn't the best way to honor him be to donate money to allow another child the experience that he had. A stone is nice but helping another child get their wish is far nicer.

I read he has a star at GKTW (from the blog trip report), so he is forever going to be there.

Yes, every child at GKTW receives a star to take home with them and another star with the child's name on it is placed on the ceiling in the playroom in their honor. GKTW gives you the longitude and latitude of your ceiling star so you can go see it.

I am sure that the pavers sold by GKTW are done so as a fundraising vehicle. Individual wish agencies pay for the transportation, souvenir expenses and other incidentals (disposable cameras, tshirts, send off parties) for a child and his/her family to go to Disneyworld. GKTW provides those families with their accomodations for the week, t-shirts, 2 meals, their tickets for the theme parks, several toys/gifts, and other amenities at the resort. GKTW allows wish agencies from all over the world a way to stretch their dollars . It also gives kids with special needs and chronic illnesses a place to meet some of the characters at GKTW away from the throngs of people that are normally in the theme parks. They also are very helpful in arranging medical supplies/equipment needs for these families, and have digital cameras and video recorders to loan families, who are often cash strapped as a result of their child's medical expenses. There are even volunteers who will go to the parks with you, if you are worried about maneuvering it on your own. Additionally the resort is very accessible for special needs kids. GKTW is truly a special place where many families feel the burden of the illness their child has been going through, lifted, by all the support and caring around them. The paving stones would help to provide more services and facilities to more families.

When we were at GKTW I believe they had 90 villas, and were in the planning phase to build 90 more. They have begun construction and could probably use more funding to keep the construction going. I am sure a stone would be a good gesture. Little Noah's name would be there for all future families to see. Having said all that, if someone wanted to donate to the wish agency I am sure that would be greatly appreciated too.