Coral Gables RotaryGram: Halloween at the International Kids Fund

IKF’s Wonderfund™ a program of Jackson Memorial Foundation, seeks to provide life saving or life changing medical care to children in need. This includes international children who cannot be treated within their native country, as well as children living in the United States who, without the assistance of IKF ‘s Wonderfund, have no options for treatment. The fund ensures these children receive the best care possible at Holtz Children’s Hospital of the University Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, one of the nation’s premier teaching hospitals. IKF’s Wonderfund successfully raises funds and administers proactive assistance by having an efficient organizational and financial infrastructure in place to quickly respond to specific requests for help. Simply stated, IKF is in the business of saving young people’s lives.

For the past five years, Coral Gables Rotarians have made Halloween special for the children at Holtz Children's Hospital with IKF. They've dressed up, made fools of themselves, brought the kids candy, masks, pumpkins to decorate, Halloween balloons, cartoons and music to give them a special treat for the spookiest holiday of the year. It's anyone's guess who has more fun - Rotarians or the kids! But you can decide for yourself - just look at the pictures from this year's party.

Thanks to Lorraine Sheldon, Community Service Chair who set everying up, and Judy Pantoja, who is devoted to the International Kids Fund, we are able to give these special needs kids a whole lot of fun on Halloween. Participating Rotarians this year included Ana Fournaris, Sally B., Mead McCabe, Dick Golden, Heather O'Meara, Kelly Garces, Terry Long and soon-to-be-inducted Kristy Fueyo all had a really good time. But don't take my word for it ... see for yourself!