By Susan Parma | President
July is a quieter time for Dance To Live. Most of the children we serve attend the homeless camp in Dallas.
I am assuming that most of you who read this, like me, lead lives that are relatively secure. We have jobs – not just jobs – but careers; we can focus on our work and return home to a fulfilling family life. It’s hard for us to imagine not having a place to live where there is some opportunity for peace a quiet.
Most of the children we serve come from homes that are environments of chaos. Drugs, violence, insecurity, threats to safety………….we have children who sleep with their shoes on never knowing when they will need to run. Needless to say, it is hard for these children to go to school and learn. When survival is your primary instinct, everything takes second place. And because parents are so stressed, their children aren’t getting the one-on-one attention they need and they get lost in the shuffle.
One of the camp counselors said, “It breaks my heart that every time that I do this, I continue to see more children, meaning the cycle continues,”
What the homeless camp provides is two weeks of aspirational experience. There are role models there who say “I can do it” and sometimes that is all it takes to create a spark in a young mind. Before they come to the camps, a lot of the kids’ aspirations are to be a maid, or a hot dog vendor. They leave knowing that there is more available to them.
And in the thick of this, our Dance To Live therapist dovetails the classroom lessons being taught, the philosophy of effort, achievement and success, …………and the practical reality that a worthwhile life requires a balance of intellectual, emotional and physical activity. Dance To Live focuses on the latter which encompasses, stretching, games, movement, music - both competition and cooperation with others- learning, personal expression, sharing, compassion and breathing techniques for relaxation. Each activity is designed to be carried forward and used in their future lives. If we can provide to these children the opportunity to acquire coping skills and techniques that will serve them in their future, then we are answering Michelle’s prayer when she asked for guidance for the vehicle that she should use to “give back”.
It is in memory of Michelle that Dance to Live strives to make a difference in the life of each child’s we serve.
Thank you for supporting us, our cause, and the belief that we can and are making a difference.
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