(05/11/10)YMCA Shooting Stars Preschool Visit (Superior, WI)

5/11/2010 Outreach visit to the YMCA Shooting Stars Preschool in Superior, WI, Paula Moore, Outreach/Education Coordinator

“When I heard about a horse coming to visit, I was not going to miss this.” Apparently this thought was contagious. A group of 16 children ages 3-5 turned out to be a group of 35 with older brother and sisters, and younger brother and sisters and parents.

It did turn out to be a very good audience. The 3-5 year olds were a fun group of such innocence coupled with good listening skills and quiet manners. Their little brothers and sisters sat on their parent’s laps.

One boy in particular had a stuffed dog which he carried with him everywhere. As he stood in line to go to the gym while I set up, I asked him if I could pet his dog. He said ok. As I petted the stuffed dog, the boy volunteered, “He’s a boy dog.” I replied, “The horse I am bringing in is a girl horse.” He said, “His name is Spike.” I said, “The horse’s name is Magic.”

Every single little chair was filled and then bigger chairs were brought in to seat the parents.

During my power point presentation parents were very moved by one little boy’s answer to my question; What did WindChill need to not be so lonely anymore…his answer, LOVE.

The kids talked about pets that died. One little boy talked about how sad he was that his hermit crab had died. He was honest that he forgot to feed it. One girl was very sad about her kitty dying in a car accident.

Of course there are always goldfish that die. But you sure could tell who the embarrassed parent of this child was as her child repeated several times in very sorrowful tones, “My mom flushed him down the toilet. We didn’t bury him. She flushed him down the toilet.”

It amazed me that the program was for preschool children but the parents were just as affected by WIndChill’s story. Parents told us that WindChill’s story was very powerful. She said his spirit was so strong. Another said she was so glad she had come to hear about him.

One parent said this was not even her son’s day to be here at the daycare but “we came anyways and I’m so glad we did.”

Other parents used the words absolutely awesome and awestruck at hearing WindChill’s story. What a fantastic program you have was another comment we heard.

One parent talked about the 6 llamas she took in from a rescue after all 6 were brought back to health. She talked about how the llamas have kept the wolves at bay. She and Kathi had heard this about llamas and it sure proved true. She has not lost any sheep to wolves since. She remembers before the llamas came, that her dog came running out of the forest into the pasture, followed by a wolf. The wolf saw her husband who yelled and the wolf ran off…lucky dog. The parent believed that 1 wolf could not have taken down her big dog but a pack could of. There have not been any wolves hanging around since that time. Kathi knows there are wolves around Raindance. That is one of the reasons she brings in the young ones every night. Kathi asked the parent if the llamas spit at her. She said no but they spit at each other especially around dinner time. Kathi asked her what she does with the llamas. She hesitated with her reply and said, “Love them.”

One person that absolutely captured all of our hearts was a 7 year old animal lover who had the nerve to skip school and encouraged her 5 year younger brother to skip school too. Her mother just happened to be the director of this preschool who scheduled the program. She told her mom that she was ABSOLTUELY not going to school. She wanted to hear about WindChill. In fact her mother told us that at the age of 5 her daughter heard the story of WindChill. She emptied out all the money in her piggy bank and gave it to the WindChill fund. Kathi remembered her.

Kathi gave this very special girl a Molly the Pony book and talked to her for awhile. Her mother said that back then she did not know whether to let her daughter read the newspaper accounts of WindChill because it was too sad. She did make the decision to let her daughter read all the stories written. The girl read everything she could. Her mother said that she has a big stuffed horse at home and when she gets home tonight she is renaming it Magic.

The little sisters and brothers who had sat so still during my presentation had to let go some of that energy. Magic displayed exceptional behavior and ignored all those noisy squeals and jerky grabs they made at her. Parents could not believe how calm Magic was. She was solid as a rock.

When I was asked what  Magic’s favorite snack was my answer was carrots. One boy said, “Santa Claus’s reindeer like carrots too.”

We always tell the kids that if they touch Magic’s star it means good luck for the rest of the day. One boy asked me, “What is good luck?”

2 of the bigger boys did not want to pet Magic but when it came time for pictures they come up to pet her.

When it came time for the boy with the stuffed dog to have his picture taken, I asked him if Spike could ride on Magic. He said ok. I took Spike and spread him out on Magic. A picture was taken of Spike riding Magic. All the parents went awe and then the boy had his picture taken with Spike and Magic. That was another awe moment.

After the program as we were leaving, one parent came running up to us to tell us how special Magic was. “There has to be a part of WindChill’s heart inside of her.” she said.