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Trip to Disney ‘means the world’
Published 8:20pm Monday, October 24, 2011Last Thursday, the Alexander City Arts Council hosted a special event.
“The Arts and Art of Healing,” co-hosted by Steele Marketing and Lake Martin Living, raised money to grant the wish of 10-year-old Payton Poole. Payton, a resident of Deatsville, is a fourth grader at Holtville Elementary School. She was diagnosed with leukemia back in December of 2008.
She was just 7 years old at the time of her diagnosis, and she celebrated her 8th birthday soon after. Payton has visited Children’s Of Alabama hospital regularly for the past two years, and, according to her mother, Amanda Ricks, is in remission after a recently completed course of chemotherapy.
Payton’s wish, to go to Disney World, was granted by the sponsors of “The Arts and the Art of Healing” through Magic Moments of Alabama, a non-profit organization that grants wishes to Alabama’s seriously ill children.
Thursday’s event included both a silent and live auction, and Magic Moments confirmed enough money had been raised to send Payton and her family to the most magical place on Earth before the live auction portion of the night even began. In all, arts council president Ron Morgan said the event brought in a total of $2,414.50 and Magic Moments has already booked a trip for Payton and her family to visit Disney this December.
Now a trip to Disney World may not seem like much to some, but through the eyes of a child, it means the world. Especially a child who has been through everything Payton has been through over the past three years.
I remember the first time I went to Disney World. I was 4 years old, and my parents and I were visiting my grandparents in Daytona Beach. I was so excited about the trip that I could barely sleep the night before. We made a day trip of it, and it ended up being everything I dreamed it would be, particularly since I got to meet my favorite Disney character: Minnie Mouse.
I hope Payton’s trip to Disney World is everything that mine was, and then some. Here’s saying thanks to those who helped Payton’s wish come true.
Natalie Nettles is a staff writer for The Outlook.
