Jen Rivenbank and Jim Stewart offer moral support to their son Dylan during a media event. Dylan has been named this year's Rotary4Kids Ambassador. PHOTO BY CHRISTINE ROY
The feel inside One Kids Place on Wednesday morning was warm and exciting. People exchanged smiles and greetings.
Dylan Rivenbark, 7, looked calm and curious, standing with his mother Jen Rivenbark and his father, Jim Stewart.
Dylan is this year’s Rotary4Kids Ambassador, representing the official launch of the Rotary Club and the Nipissing Association for Disabled Youth’s (NADY) radio-a-thon.
Jordan and Jena Stewart, Dylan’s older sisters, were also at the media event. Rotary4Kids has played a great part in helping their family be able to go out and interact and have fun together.
“He gets to go horseback riding in the summer or skiing in the winter,” Jena said. “When we went horseback riding, we went with him too. And the skiing, my Dad gets to help the other kids too, he does something he enjoys.”
“(Dylan) gets to experience stuff he normally wouldn’t be able to if it was just us,” Jordan stated.
Dylan is shy but his sisters were there to help him take on questions.
"He's a man of few words," his dad explained with a smile.
Lucie Ricci and her husband Dooley are on the NADY Board of Directors. Their grown daughter has special needs and they became active with NADY several years ago to help other families in the community.
“The funds raised stay within the community,” Lucie said. “It helps families pay for chairs, bathroom equipment…these things aren’t always covered by insurance.”
“Growing up, my daughter couldn’t go visit friends. Houses aren’t always wheelchair accessible. With this, these kids get the benefit of social interaction with friends,” she added. “It’s important for them to be able to develop social interaction.”
The Longest Morning Ever will start on Tuesday, March 31, at 5:30 a.m. Kevin and Big Mike from 100.5 KiSS FM will be set up at the Sears Court at the Northgate Shopping Centre. They’ll stay awake for 53 hours to raise funds for Rotary4Kids and NADY.
Since it first began, the radio-a-thon has raised over $750,000 towards Rotary projects.
Pledges can already be made through www.rotary4kids.ca. During the Longest Morning Ever, donations can also be dropped off at the Rotary pledge table at the Sears Court or call 705-492-7330.
The final tally for the event will take place on Thursday, April 2, at 10 a.m. during a pancake breakfast at Burger World on Hammond Street.
