KaCe and the Performing Arts Workshop

The Performing Arts Workshop was started 19 years ago as a summer program for youth interested in music, singing, dance & acting.  Whitney was in the first one and K.C. joined when he was old enough. Now 19 years later her son KaCe was old enough to go. Gary Abbott the main Director has been with PAW since the beginning with only a couple of years hiatus.  He is now teaching offspring of many PAW alumni.    PAW as it is known, brings professionals in theatre, choreography, dance, stage management, costuming, props management and voice from all over the US as well as local professionals.  In the past few years instead of writing their own the professionals have begun to purchase works to perform.  This year was "The King and I".  The final performance are a culmination of 20 days of hard work.  This year was no exceeption.  

KaCe did wonderfully.  He was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder during the school year so Whitney and I took him to Sheridan for Occupational Therpy and a visit with the counselor before it began.  On the first day all pertinent staff were informed of trigger points that might set him off and the proper remedy.  The staff (not their first rodeo) responded accordingly.  I volunteered to do bus duty for any child/youth that needed transportation.  He was mostly in awe of everything that was going on around him - but he didn't freeze onstage - but performed well.

The official group pose at dress rehearsel. 

The King practices with the bull whip before dress rehearsal.

The King ignores the hubbub going on around him.

Accepting the gift of a foreign princess.

The "sons" of the King welcome the new teacher.

Performing for the new teacher.

Imploring the teacher not to leave.

The entire workshop is funded by grants, donations from private and corporate sponsors and tuition. Staff are busy about 18 hours/day so local restaurants/businesses donate food for them.

Our granddaughter Kim has been involved with PAW for many years behind the stage and in the costume room.   She spent many hours finishing this gown.  It was exquisite.  Good job Kim!

A job well done with one more performance Saturday afternoon.  

Relay for Life

If I am in Gillette I have participated in Relay for Life.  A couple of years I caught it in Casper and once in Baker, Oregon.  This year was no exception.  Whitney was on a team started by the mom of a 5 year old girl with cancer, so I joined that team also.  I put a couple of sweatshirts and some jewelry into raffle bags.  The team had several fun raisers before the event and we all wore tshirts dedicated to "Fight Like Isabelle".  A week or so before Relay they took Isabelle to Denver for a checkup and were told one of the tests was abnormal.  They rescheduled her for June 15 to test again to see if her cancer had come back.  This was the day of Relay and the mom thought she would have to bow out.  For several days no one jumped in to take over and finally Whitney and I decided to carry it on.  For one thing it would be good for Isabelle to know someone was stepping up for her while she was in Denver. 

Want to buy some jewelry to benefit Relay???  KaCe says

While walking Crazy Horse I told Deb and Carol they should come join us.  They did.  Whitney and I went out about 8 Friday and staked the tent out - right beside the playground.   Then we went to volunteer for the luminaria exhibit.  Home Depot donates all the sand the a shovel full has to go into every bag before the candle goes in.  Deb & Carol got there in time to help fill and label the bags.  We were done with that by 5:30 and went to the Survivor's Dinner.  Carol and I are both survivors.

Then we walked the Survivor Walk and the event was started.  There were about 1500+ bags honoring, celebrating or remembering folks with cancer.  Many bags came to the sand pit already decorated.  This year instead of announcing the name on every bag they set up a blowup screen outside where a computer scrolled the names all night/day long.  Whitney and I tried and tried about midnight to get everyone - but it was a job and the camera phone just wasn't quick enough every time.  It began to rain - well we all went inside the tent and were very toasty.  Deb and Carol walked until about 11 and they headed to the motel to return early Saturday morning.  Whit and I held down the fort.

Wake up Debbie, it's time to walk!

Carol (always comes prepared) brought some hard boiled eggs to keep the protein levels up.  Hubby Gary decorated the eggs in honor of Isabelle.  We sent their family these pictures to show we were thinking about her.  They are in Denver waiting for news.

We chose a tiara and a wand for our spirit "sticks" to take along with us on the walk.

My mother Lois

Our daughter Lucky

A couple of family friends (phone took two at once)

Isabelle - OUR captain

Sharon

Whitney's friend Peggy

The next morning we gathered and picked up the bags we wanted to remember.  The ones I didn't get were in the middle of the night: Gary (Carol's hubby), Carol, Carol parents

It was a fun time all in the name of doing something positive raising money for a cure.  Also we learned about the NUMEROUS programs the National Cancer Society has available for those that need it.  Something to keep in mind.

The sad part is many others that signed up to do this for Isabelle didn't show.  It's their loss!  You know we say what goes around comes around.

The 6.2 mile trek

Notice the fringe on top - THAT's PEOPLE!!

When we moved to Wyoming we would drive by the Crazy Horse display and chuckle.  We were sure it was one of the MANY tourist "traps" in the Black Hills.  30+ years ago the hole in the middle was the only thing one could see.  Wow! It has changed.  While we were in ND Deb said the Volksmarch at CH was June 2 - come on over.  Nah!!!   Then my lips got ahead of my brain and I asked KaCe if he wanted to go.  He said yes - after talking about the length about the trek.  No changing your mind in the middle, he said he still wanted to go. He spent the night and got his gear on: underarmour shirt and his mp3 player with fresh batteries.  HE was ready - in retrospect I was NOT.  

We met Dave, Debbie and Carol Valentine in Custer at their workkamp - Camp Welikit.  I DID take some water, but nothing to eat.  (Remind me I need to take Carol to lunch!!)  I did remember to get the walking stick Clay made me and another one Ken has never used.  (THOSE saved my life!!)

I knew I could make it, it would just be slow - one foot at a time.  

Off we went - 3.2 miles to the top.  Up, down over, through, twist, rocks, climb...........there were several thousand folks walking, pulling wagons with kids on it (NOT ME MAN!!), kids in back carriers and a couple with walking casts on their legs.

Dave stuck with me - I told him I'd make it; but he was SO gracious to be there.  Actually it wasn't too bad through the woods.

Check in Statioin #2  

We are getting closer.  I MIGHT have gotten there faster but I kept taking pictures.  (MY story - sticking with it!)

This was at the 2nd checking station (and potty stop).  I told KaCe that Grandad and I had EACH had one of these in the late 1970's.  So he climbed up and we discussed how to steer it and which "stick" was for what.






I DID buy a Gatorade at one stop.
He thought it was funny to NOT have a steering wheel just sticks.
Step, step, step, step..............................

See the sign behind K?  He read that sign to Deb and Carol needing help with only a couple of words.  He did great - keeping up with Carol/Deb listening to his mp3 player.

Hmmm!  Closer yet!

HERE WAS MY DOWNFALL!  We stopped. I bought a couple more Gatorade's for me (one for K) and chugged them.  Then I sat down in a chair.  WRONG!  WRONG! WRONG!!


Started out again and almost at once I began to have charley horses.......step, step, step...........


About 300 yd from the view up his nose my thighs, arches, shins began cramping.........I shouldn't have stopped after drinking........



I borrowed KaCe's stick and pulled myself up the mtn.  (I silently wondered HOW I was going to get down???  Why wasn't the Gatorade kicking in??????)





Whoa!! Looking up the nose!  Way to go!



YRICKA!!!!! I made it.























KaCe did awesome! Not one word of complaint.

The view from the top was something else. Yes, I'm glad KaCe said yes.

Birds in his eye.

KaCe and his new best friend - Carol!  Thanks Carol.

We were up top about 14 minutes and gradually the liquid got into my system and the pain subsided.
Debbie said she had it all figured out how to get me down.   Roll me off the top!  Down was a different trail and pretty "down".  As we could see the bottom KaCe never said a word but his steps got smaller and smaller.  However he just kept plodding.

THE END!