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It's 5:30 on a Friday in Dallas. At this hour it's unusual to find many people in
this city heading to work but these folks are different. They know that if they
arrive early, pay careful attention to their assignments, listen to management and spend time
diligently preparing for the task at hand. They are going to succeed.
I will be at the registration desk. It's a black notebook, it's one of those little
white card boxes and it has a mouth at the first floor and where those assignments are
so you can go and look at it and be sure you know, exactly where it is we need you.
Despite the hour there is no time for coffee that's because Starbucks isn't top of mind at 5:30 PM.
For several on this team it's been 12 hours since they had their latte or cappuccino.
In fact several in this room have already worked longer than that today but for the
next four and a half hours these mean and women are going to put aside any tired, worn or weary
feelings. Instead they will become some of the most energetic, loyal and heart felt people
you have ever seen.
Rather than pouring coffee, these volunteers are going to pour their hearts, souls and love into Night OWLS.
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The Night OWLS concept couldn't be simpler. Take an amazing group of well trained volunteers.
Okay, basically families and guests start arriving at 6 O'clock.
Put them in comfortable clothes, add a name tag and give them important instructions.
Then if you hear a fast or short whistle, it means that a child has been found and you can go back
to what you were doing. Four years we have never used it, helpfully we will never have to but just in
case there are security plan for the evening.
Then entrust them with the most important job that they may ever have in their lives, caring
for another mom or dad's child.
Then you will have the recipe for Night OWLS.
Night OWLS takes place two Friday nights a month. After having worked all day running
their own children to cheerleading and soccer practice and dealing with their own family
issues, an amazing team of volunteers put aside all of their personal trials and tribulations
to care about someone else's.
Lots of people from all walks of life make this amazing program happen but everyone in this room knows
the most important ingredient for Night OWLS is love.
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The evening began as parents and their children arrive. Night OWLS participants include special needs children
from one month to 12 years old and their siblings, no matter what level of help they may need.
Paper work is a must and includes very important medical and emergency contact information. This is
the time when medicine and special feeding instructions are also passed from parents to the volunteer staff.
For first timers, the drop off can be a nervous moment for both parents and children but veterans know as
soon as the kids say goodbye to mom and dad, they say hello to a smiling volunteer who is ready, ready to love
care and entertain nonstop for the next four hours.
It's just a big party. I mean they just -- the kids love it. These people love my son and -- and
that makes me feel good. You know, I can bring my son here and it's just a good example of goodness
in this world.
In many care programs children are left with the caretaker who watches several boys and girls in a group.
But Night OWLS is different.
Every volunteer has one and only one child to care for. Sometimes when there are more volunteers than
children, a child may get a little extra adult attention but never the other way around.
Nursing staff and a police officer are on duty from before the first child arrives until after the last one goes home.
The Night OWLS program is built on the principle that no child is left alone. Everyone involved
in the program whether two legged or four is required to do only one thing, open their hearts to God's greatest gifts.
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To come somewhere on a Friday night after you have worked all week is just incredible to me because we find
it hard to stick it out on Friday night after we have dealt with our whole week. The volunteers are incredible, every one
is just loving towards Katy and towards us and the nursing staff has never once missed a beat. They try their best and do
everything they can for Katy and we just know that Katy is very safe here.
Night OWLS is a health ministry of the Highland Park United Methodist Church.
The program is open to any and all parents of special needs children and their siblings, regardless of race and religion
or economic status.
A mention, a custom made program for each of the fifty plus children who participate in Night OWLS because each
volunteer only has one child to care for.
The child can dictate exactly what he or she would like to do.
Whether it's practicing to become the next Fred Astaire or just spending a little quite time. Volunteers do their
absolute best to make the little ones happy.
And you got a blue's clues and the chicken nugget.
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As if games, crafts and movies weren't enough, Night OWLS has a different entertainment theme each evening.
From tap dancers to magicians to music, the talent in people who give their time to Night OWLS get just
as much joy as they give to their very special audience.
The Night OWLS make sure that the children are first and foremost, not far behind the mission is caring
about their wonderful parents.
The program was designed so that mom and dad could drop of the kids in a loving
safe environment, they will have a night to themselves.
For us it's a life saver and I will tell you why because it's one night that we can look at on the
calendar and say we know this night, we can go out.
And we can leave our kids where they are safe and where they have a great time, they love Night OWLS.
And we can plan that night and if we have things we need to talk about or if we have friends we want to
see or there is a new movie, anything that we take you know three and a half, four hours to do we can go and do.
To say the least, a special needs child is a never ending job requiring constant care and very little downtime.
Night OWLS allows parents to have a night out with friends catch a movie or just spend a few hours of quite time at home.
As the night wears on, activities match the children's moods.
Movies available to help tide when you settle down and sleeping is not against the rules either.
You just don't know what the feeling to leave your children in such a safe haven. It's just wonderful and it's okay.
At Night OWLS night ends the same way it began This time it's good bye to the volunteers and hello to
mom and dad from boys and girls who are ready to go home.
Many may not be able to put into words what their experience was like.
But parents can tell that a great time was had by all.
Can you give me a hug.
What Night OWLS means to me is that they are really nice people, loving people that kind of reinforce your
faith in the world.
What Night OWLS means to me is that they are people that care about my children and are willing to give up
their time to allow me and my wife to have an evening out.
What Night OWLS means to me is coming to a place where my daughter is completely accepted and no one he is or her
is different. She is just another one of the kiddos that are here.
Many of these families would be back to enjoy the Night OWLS program again and again.
After all there is no limit on love.
Mom and dad are certainly looking forward to a night out
but so are Ben, Donnaben, Mary Claire, Luke, Katy Joseph, Johnny and dozens of others.
They are all the most beautiful creatures on earth because they are God's children, happy, loved
and blessed just a little bit more.
Thanks to Night OWLS.