To be truthful, I really don’t know if I have the words to express the gratitude we feel for the once in a lifetime opportunity you have provided for Kassy! She has been touched in a way that will affect her every move profoundly for the rest of her life like no other experience could ever do. We as her parents have been affected as well and we didn’t even leave the Province!!
From the first day we met with you I felt this might be something special and it definitely has proven to be extraordinary. I have to admit that Kassy practically dragged me to that first meeting as I couldn’t even imagine letting my teenage daughter go off gallivanting a world away with strangers for some cause that I had never heard of before! So imagine my surprise when I immediately felt at ease as soon as we walked in your door and then when you started telling us about the Coalition and the work you do and what the trip entailed and I could see how deeply you truly believed in this program and how enthusiastic you were, I started thinking, hey….maybe this might indeed be a good thing.
Although, I was still full of trepidation, being a mom and wanting to protect my daughter - I was slowly starting to come around to the idea, however, Kassy was bound and determined to go from the moment she heard about it and even more so after that meeting…..she was practically jumping out of the car with excitement while driving home afterwards.
After doing a little investigating, having in depth conversations with Kassy to ensure she was wanting to go for all of the right reasons and further discussion as parents, we decided within a very short period of time that we would indeed let our daughter go and needless to say, it has been one of the best decisions we as parents have ever made for her!!
Right from the get go Kassy was keen and eager to get her information out there to people to entice them to sponsor her in her quest. It took a lot of gumption for her to approach people and answer their questions and que their doubts like she had us, but that she did and the sponsors started coming in. It is amazing how truly giving people are and Kassy made her sponsors just as excited as her!
The communication we received during this whole process was exceptional. They practically walk you through everything in tiny little baby steps that definitely make the whole experience so much easier for us parents. From emails to phone calls, meetings and constant encouragement…..they leave no stone unturned. The diaries and pictures we received while the kids were actually on the trip made us feel like we were right there with them…and we looked forward to those…it was truly the highlight of each day! Every step they took from take off’s and landings to their day to day routine was reported to us immediately and made us feel so at ease….I truly did not worry the whole 12 days she was gone…miss her like crazy - yes…..but I had no worries or qualms at all as the Coalition took care of those!!!
At last the day came for them to arrive home and it was indeed quite a homecoming! I could tell from the moment she walked out of customs to meet us at the airport that she was a different person and over the following days and weeks, it has become even more apparent. My teenage daughter had grown and flourished while on this trip in ways that even I couldn’t have expected. She will never forget the things that she has done or seen on this trip and it has definitely made her look at things in a different light and has given her a whole new outlook on life in general.
I am so proud of Kassy for what she has done on this trip and for what she will do in the future. I can’t imagine her not having gone on the trip and can’t believe that I almost said no - that definitely would have been a major opportunity missed in her life and as a parent I want her to have it all!! In closing I would only say that it is definitely scary to let go but definitely so worth every moment for you all…..so to all of you parents out there...…grab hold of it and let your child run with it…….it will be the most extraordinary, enriching, life moving experience you and your child will ever have to cherish for the rest of your lives!
Thank you seems so inadequate for what you have given us but with all of our hearts we do THANK YOU!!!!
We know that we will all remain friends forever and we wholeheartedly support Coalition for Kids Inc.
