EpcotKilterFan
The first to extend her Fish
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2000
- Messages
- 4,128
This all began a few years ago when a now dear friend, Caroline, Lovingthemouse, innocently sent me an Instant Message asking about a pin bag. Caroline and I chatted over the years about a lot of things
but gee.. mostly Disney 
. She told me that she along with her husband were teachers in Springfield Mass., she has 4 daughters that are in college and a beautiful grandson. Along with that, Caroline each year would take a group of kids from her school to Disney. These are inner-city kids and most could not afford it, but they would do a lot of fund raising to make sure as many kids could experience the magic of Disney. The story always touched me. We had this conversation right before one of her trips and she would just gush about the kids. She truly loves each and every one of them. A teacher any parent would want their child to have. That trip was planned to the T except for the departure weather. One of the worst snowstorms to hit New England happened on the day of departure. Caroline was able to round all of the kids up early and get them on one of the last flights out that day. Those kids were going to Disney, one way or another.
In March 2002, another trip was planned. Unfortunately the tragedies of September 11, 2001 happened. And many of the families were just not comfortable sending their children on a plane to Disney. So sadly, that trip was cancelled.
In the Fall of 2002, school has started once again, and planning has begun for the March 2003 trip. The more and more Caroline would talk about it, I knew I had to help as many children experience the magic. The magic that many of us have been fortunate to experience many times.
Now, just an aside here I have never met Caroline in person. Just through the love of Disney and pins did we become friends. This just shows you the power those little pieces of metal hold.
Over the course of time, and talking with my mother we were pretty determined to help the kids. But I knew I would need some help with this endeavor. So in October, I took a chance and sent an e-mail to Leslie BeautyLLM and asked her for some help. I was very happy when she agreed to help me in raising some money. The plans were in motion now. We wanted to keep this a surprise as long as we could. So we knew we could not advertise this on the boards and would not be able to anyway due to board rules. But that did not stop us. We started an e-mail campaign with the hopes of it spreading to everyone. We were very fortunate and were able to raise a nice bit of money for the kids!!!!
Well in the series of e-mails, one very good friend in the pin world, decided that these kids needed a lanyard and pins. Through some sprinkling of pixie dust, each of the 42 kids would have a lanyard and some pins for them to trade. Leslie and I were so excited and could not wait until Caroline found out. Well the time came to send off the money raised to Caroline and her kids. Needless to say, Caroline was overwhelmed. Words are just hard to describe the moment. She just ran to her principal to tell him about the windfall that came in. Little did she know that there were other surprises in store.
In the meantime, Leslie was working hard with a contact at Disney that our special friend told us about, to get refillable mugs donated or something to raffle off to raise some more money. Well, this is still Disney, they were not going to be able to donate the mugs, but could send up something nice to raffle off. They just needed the schools information of their letterhead in order to process the request. So, this one we had to tell her about first. Again, she was excited beyond words. The next day, a letter was faxed to Disney and the waiting began. Then it happened. A LARGE box was delivered to the school. Inside was a LARGE 2 level snowglobe from the Share a Dream Come True parade at the a Magic Kingdom. Well by now, all of the teachers and administrators know the story and were all excited about this great snow globe to raffle off. The students and teachers had a raffle and made another bit of money.
Then the third surprise, the box of lanyards and pins arrived. Well, by now, I figured I better buy stock in a tissue company as Caroline was using a lot of them.
During all this time, Caroline kept asking and asking if mom and I could come down and meet the kids at Disney. Well it started to wear on me . Lots of arm twisting and I decided that maybe I could make the trip. But I did not tell Caroline. Usually it is mom and I that travel together to WDW. We make a good team. Well mom got a new job last November and would not be able to make this trip as she was still on probation. So I would be making this trip alone. So in January I watched the fares and watched.. and watched. Finally they were a good price and I bought them.. Then waited for the codes to come out and got a room at All Star Movies. Now I just had to wait for March 1 to come around when I leave and wait for all of them to arrive on March 3.
Caroline still does not know that I am coming down and surprising her. Very few knew that I was going. And we kept it that way. So I helped her plan the itinerary, the whole time I am writing it all down, so I would know where she would be to carry out this last surprise
I am posting this as I head out the door to meet Caroline and students of Kiley and Duggan Middle Schools at MGM. Wish me luck, I will post my day later.
Thanks if you have stuck with me this long.
Debbie
***UPDATED a few posts down***
. She told me that she along with her husband were teachers in Springfield Mass., she has 4 daughters that are in college and a beautiful grandson. Along with that, Caroline each year would take a group of kids from her school to Disney. These are inner-city kids and most could not afford it, but they would do a lot of fund raising to make sure as many kids could experience the magic of Disney. The story always touched me. We had this conversation right before one of her trips and she would just gush about the kids. She truly loves each and every one of them. A teacher any parent would want their child to have. That trip was planned to the T except for the departure weather. One of the worst snowstorms to hit New England happened on the day of departure. Caroline was able to round all of the kids up early and get them on one of the last flights out that day. Those kids were going to Disney, one way or another.In March 2002, another trip was planned. Unfortunately the tragedies of September 11, 2001 happened. And many of the families were just not comfortable sending their children on a plane to Disney. So sadly, that trip was cancelled.
In the Fall of 2002, school has started once again, and planning has begun for the March 2003 trip. The more and more Caroline would talk about it, I knew I had to help as many children experience the magic. The magic that many of us have been fortunate to experience many times.
Now, just an aside here I have never met Caroline in person. Just through the love of Disney and pins did we become friends. This just shows you the power those little pieces of metal hold.
Over the course of time, and talking with my mother we were pretty determined to help the kids. But I knew I would need some help with this endeavor. So in October, I took a chance and sent an e-mail to Leslie BeautyLLM and asked her for some help. I was very happy when she agreed to help me in raising some money. The plans were in motion now. We wanted to keep this a surprise as long as we could. So we knew we could not advertise this on the boards and would not be able to anyway due to board rules. But that did not stop us. We started an e-mail campaign with the hopes of it spreading to everyone. We were very fortunate and were able to raise a nice bit of money for the kids!!!!
Well in the series of e-mails, one very good friend in the pin world, decided that these kids needed a lanyard and pins. Through some sprinkling of pixie dust, each of the 42 kids would have a lanyard and some pins for them to trade. Leslie and I were so excited and could not wait until Caroline found out. Well the time came to send off the money raised to Caroline and her kids. Needless to say, Caroline was overwhelmed. Words are just hard to describe the moment. She just ran to her principal to tell him about the windfall that came in. Little did she know that there were other surprises in store.
In the meantime, Leslie was working hard with a contact at Disney that our special friend told us about, to get refillable mugs donated or something to raffle off to raise some more money. Well, this is still Disney, they were not going to be able to donate the mugs, but could send up something nice to raffle off. They just needed the schools information of their letterhead in order to process the request. So, this one we had to tell her about first. Again, she was excited beyond words. The next day, a letter was faxed to Disney and the waiting began. Then it happened. A LARGE box was delivered to the school. Inside was a LARGE 2 level snowglobe from the Share a Dream Come True parade at the a Magic Kingdom. Well by now, all of the teachers and administrators know the story and were all excited about this great snow globe to raffle off. The students and teachers had a raffle and made another bit of money.
Then the third surprise, the box of lanyards and pins arrived. Well, by now, I figured I better buy stock in a tissue company as Caroline was using a lot of them.
During all this time, Caroline kept asking and asking if mom and I could come down and meet the kids at Disney. Well it started to wear on me . Lots of arm twisting and I decided that maybe I could make the trip. But I did not tell Caroline. Usually it is mom and I that travel together to WDW. We make a good team. Well mom got a new job last November and would not be able to make this trip as she was still on probation. So I would be making this trip alone. So in January I watched the fares and watched.. and watched. Finally they were a good price and I bought them.. Then waited for the codes to come out and got a room at All Star Movies. Now I just had to wait for March 1 to come around when I leave and wait for all of them to arrive on March 3.
Caroline still does not know that I am coming down and surprising her. Very few knew that I was going. And we kept it that way. So I helped her plan the itinerary, the whole time I am writing it all down, so I would know where she would be to carry out this last surprise
I am posting this as I head out the door to meet Caroline and students of Kiley and Duggan Middle Schools at MGM. Wish me luck, I will post my day later.
Thanks if you have stuck with me this long.
Debbie
***UPDATED a few posts down***
! But I snapped back into reality just in the knick of time!
I told her I was a friend of Mrs. Tougas but she has never met me and could she jelp me find her... she exclaimed "YOU"RE THE LADY FROM THE INTERNET!" I laughed and said yes. So she was on the hunt. 
Can't wait to hear more updates and see the pictures. Not to mention the thrill Caroline, the other adults and You must be having seeing the childrens faces as they discover the MAGIC of WDW. Have a GREAT TIME!! 
