Kids are at the heart of everything St. Baldrick’s does, including our events. Our Honored Kids and their families are the faces of the fight and we gain strength and inspiration from their stories. But how do you honor them at your event? Here are five ideas to get you started.
1. Give them a rock star welcome
Rent a limo, roll out the red carpet — give your Honored Kids the star treatment! If the child is in a wheelchair, decorate it to the hilt. Pump up the crowd before they come in the door. Throw confetti, drop balloons and wave signs — they deserve it.
Some kids might get overwhelmed at this kind of attention, so it’s always a good idea to check with parents first on how to best celebrate their child!
Be sure to shower the siblings with support. Often siblings can feel overlooked during their brother or sister’s cancer journey, so be sure to make them feel special too.
Want to celebrate an Honored Kid at your event? Search for Honored Kids in your area >
2. Share the love
Put out a poster or hang a banner for people to write messages of love and support for the Honored Kid. Get fabric markers and have participants sign a St. Baldrick’s shirt or even a superhero cape for the child and, if applicable, their siblings!
“I put out journals for each honored kid and asked people to write an inspirational message,” said VEO Judy Mason Bannon. “It went over really well!”
If the Honored Kid has passed, get a photo of the child printed, have people write how he or she inspired them, and then frame it for the family.
Those who are braving the shave in honor of a child can bring a photo and hold it while they go under the clippers, to show everyone the sweet face that they’re honoring.
3. Tell their story
Sharing a story can have a huge impact. Give an Honored Kid the stage and a microphone at your event, and inspiration will follow.
If your event is honoring a child who has passed, show a slideshow of photos of the child, a special video or ask a parent or sibling if they would be interested in sharing about the child and their cancer journey. You could also speak on how the child’s story inspired you.
4. Include them in the fun
Make the Honored Kids part of the magic. If they are old enough, let them take over the clippers for a bit or dye a shavee’s hair. The possibilities for fun are endless!
VEO Justin McLeod said, “We had five kids at our event last year that we honored. Two of them got to pie our celebrity guests in the face, and one of them got to help shave his cousin’s head! Our emcees also brought each kid and their parents up in front of everyone and talked to them a bit.”
5. Send them home with thank-you gifts
Prepare baggies with candy and other treats for the kids, while the older family members can get bags filled with items they might appreciate, like a certificate for a massage or a dinner out. (Be aware, some Honored Kids might be on strict diets, so check with their parents before you assemble the bags. Or just leave out the candy altogether and include loads of toys. That’s good too!)
Decorate the goodie bags with supportive messages, pop in a thank-you card and hand them out before the families head home.
Want more awesome tips to make your event even more amazing? Visit our VEO tips page!
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