June 19, 2013 – A Snapshot of Gillis

As I walked through the parking lot from my car after a meeting off campus today I was surrounded by all the sound and movement going on around me. I could hear peals of joy from the children in the swimming pool and another group of older boys playing basketball.  I could see a group of children assisting our Art/Farm teacher carry mulch to the path that leads to the extensive urban garden the children and staff have created and which we are presenting this weekend as a site on the Urban Farm Tour, sponsored by Cultivate KC. There was another class of students having their lesson out under a big tree. And there was a group of volunteers painting the curbs with bright yellow point. It was truly a collage of enthusiasm and happiness.

I was struck by the feeling that all this activity and all our dedicated staff and volunteers were providing a multitude of normal, healthy and healing experiences for the children we serve here at Gillis every day. Children who, no matter how much trauma and pain they have experienced in their young lives, can still play and work and learn and heal and relate in a positive way to caring adults. I am grateful that we can offer these normalizing and happy experiences to our hurt children because these are the kind of experiences that build resilience and “plant seeds” for healthy growth and that is what we are all about here.

Submitted by Mary Ellen Schaid, Gillis CEO/President

Baby Supply Drive

The North Kansas City Kiwanis group and the Hy-Vee at Englewood and North Oak generously offered to help out the Gillis little ones by offering to do a Baby Supply Drive at Hy-Vee. All Gillis had to do was provide a few volunteers and we were the proud recipients of 145 brand new baby items.

Gillis employee Dusty A. Scheiter, volunteered at the event and had this memorable experience with a generous donor:

“My favorite encounter of the day was a father who came into Hyvee with his 9 year old son and his 2 year old son (age approximations!). He listened to me talk about the baby item drive, took a flyer, and said he would help out. Shortly, his older son ran back out to where I was standing and asked if I had a certain size of diapers I wanted to which I replied that any size will help our babies in need. I was pleasantly surprised when this generous soul had two big boxes of pampers diapers that he had his boys hand to me as they were exiting the store. As I thanked him and his boys for this amazing gift, he looked at me and said "I have been there before and someone was kind enough to help me when I needed it."  I got teary eyed. I don't know this family's story but I was able to see a father pay it forward and show his son's what it means to give to others and to repay kindness that was once shown to them. AMAZING!!” 

Gillis would like to give a special thanks to NKC Kiwanis and Hy-Vee for all you have done for the Gillis children.