Lillian Lincoln Lambert

The Ronald McDonald gave us a warm welcome for the ribbon cutting ceremony. The CEO, Bill Sullivan, greeted the audience and emphasized the importance of giving hope to others. Our tour of the facilities gave us behind-the-scene exposure to the exceptional work of the House. They provide a temporary home to families from all over the world, who have traveled to the city primarily for pediatric cancer treatment available at city hospitals. Every effort is made to make the living environment feel as much like home as possible. Seeing children so sick made me think of how blessed I am with healthy children and grandchildren.

“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” This quote was on the announcement board in front of the chapel at Children’s Village, Dobbs Ferry, NY. This was our second stop on the Hope tour where we were given an extensive walk around the grounds and saw many of their activities in action. This facility, on 300 acres with cottages, school, and offices nestled in a park-like setting surrounded by woods, serves as residence for 300 youngsters. The residents are referred to the Village from the courts, schools or social service agencies. No doubt none of the residents want to be there but it is a more supportive environment than the alternative – incarceration. Reaching the point where we no longer need even this type of facility would be ideal. However, living in an ideal world is asking a lot!