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Executive Director's Interactive Travel Journal
Witharmswideopen.org July 17-August 2, 2002
With Arms Wide Open Foundation Summer 2003 Parent-Child Program Washington, DC, July 27 through August 2
Sunday, July 27 - The day finally arrived when were able to meet in-person the ten families selected to attend our Summer 2003 Parent-Child Program, in Washington, DC. Jade and Andrew, my two young volunteer assistants, helped me unpack and prepare for the families' arrivals. At approximately 2 pm, the first of the families entered our grand hotel, the Lowe's L'Enfant Plaza. Some had never stayed in a hotel before, so the luxuriously appointed marble lobby complemented by oversized comfortable couches and chairs, and spacious rooms featuring televisions in the bathroom, should prove to be an extra special treat for them! A representative of the Close Up Foundation, our host group that put together our program, checked in each family and provided information on our activities for the week. Soon thereafter we met Jennifer and Dana, our guides. After our welcome dinner, Jennifer and Dana addressed our families, who live all across the United States--two from California, one from Nebraska , one from southern Texas, one from Tennessee , one from New Jersey, one from Kansas City, Missouri , and three from Florida. Jennifer and Dana reviewed the week's jam-packed schedule with us. It was filled with incredible sightseeing and diverse hands-on learning activities specially designed for parents and children to participate in together. This is just what Scott had hoped to provide to these families! We can all hardly wait for Monday to arrive, so off we went to our stately rooms to rest before the next day's adventures!
Monday, July 28 - Everyone tumbled into the hotel's restaurant by 7:30 am for a bountiful buffet breakfast. We couldn't help but notice our California friends were dragging a bit. With good reason--it's 4:30 am where they're from! Ben, nicknamed "Beminem" because he resembles a small Eminem, sleepily rubbed his eyes and staggered to find a seat. He didn't have long to eat, because we were soon off for a brisk walk to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Most of our group had never been to DC before, and this was their first real look at the city. Jennifer took up the head of the group, and Dana fell into position at the rear. These ladies really are experienced with "group herding"! We headed through the landscaped backyard of the Smithsonian Castle and out across the National Mall. On our right we could see the Capitol Building, and on our left, the Washington Monument. The morning was mostly sunny and clear, and it really was a beautiful sight. The cameras were out in an instant, everyone flashing away at the scenery. We then headed into the museum, and I couldn't help but notice Christopher and his teenage daughter, Tori, standing in the middle of the first floor and looking up into an opening into the second floor. I realized that Christopher was recalling his only prior trip to DC--when he was seven years old, some 39 years earlier--and describing where a giant pendulum once stood. Tori stood next to him, listening to every word. It was quite moving to see the two of them spanning the memories of time and sharing that moment. Soon, we were greeted by William Yeingst, a museum specialist with the Smithsonian's Social History Division. Mr. Yeingst led us upstairs for a tour of the Within These Walls exhibit, which contains the frame of a real house built in the 1700s. The display presents a fascinating depiction of several families who lived in the home over a 200-year period. Next, it was off to the Hands-On History room where Heather Paisley-Jones, the museumbs education director, welcomed the families and helped them engage in activities such as trying to build a chair together and riding old-fashioned bicycles. We broke into family groups and played a guessing game involving items commonly found on early farms. At the conclusion, all of the children reported to the group information about their items. I could already see this collection of families had a good dynamic going, as everyone listened intently and respectfully while the children spoke. Afterward, we headed downstairs for a scrumptious lunch, followed by free time, before we loaded onto a bus to head out to George Washington's Mount Vernon. During the ride, Jennifer and Dana spoke to the group about area sights and explained historical stories behind many of the buildings and structures. While crossing the Potomac River, they had us throw our hands up to create a wave, like at a football game, and shout "Potomac". That became our "Potomac Wave", and the children were more than happy to break into the Potomac Wave upon demand (as well as the adults). Picturesquely perched on the shores of the Potomac River, the elegantly restored Mt. Vernon home was open for tours. The home includes the actual bed in which General Washington died on December 14, 1799. We spent some time in the hands-on learning center, where Ben , Matt (photo 1) (photo2), Kate, and Joelle dressed in colonial clothing. Andrew and Aaron attempted to put together a bucket, not an easy task. Some of the families were getting to know each other better by this point and broke into smaller groups to tour the grounds. We followed the path past an area with several barns, down to Washington's tomb. It was amazing to think that the man we've heard so much about all of our lives, including witnessing his profile on a near-daily basis on our coins and bills, was lying right beyond the tomb's bars. Garrett was especially enamored with this reality and asked the Mt. Vernon host a ton of questions. Afterward, it was back on the bus for a short trip to Old Alexandria. Following our delicious pizza dinner, we headed out for a ghost tour of the area with our guide. We heard stories such as the one about Union Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, a close friend of President Lincoln, who was murdered by hotel keeper and Confederate sympathizer James Jackson, after Ellsworth removed a large Confederate flag from atop Jackson's hotel. Jackson was killed immediately as well. Both are said to still haunt the hotel. Everyone listened intently to the ghostly stories, but it became especially clear that Ariel really and truly loves ghost tales. While the light, gray drizzle added atmosphere to our ghost tour, it also cut it short, so we piled into the local old-fashioned ice cream parlor, where Eleanor Roosevelt once acquired her ice cream. Every step along the day was filled with American history. As our Monday drew to a close, we headed back to the hotel for some much-needed sleep. But first, the Potomac Wave as we crossed the river!
Tuesday, July 29 - By now the families realized that this was going to be an incredible week, and although we were all recouping from a busy Monday, there was even more energy in everyone's steps. Today we launched off to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the most popular Smithsonian museum. Our first stop was in the How Things Fly Gallery, where we all participated in a paper airplane contest. After parents and children each constructed planes, we were told to place three paper clips either at the front or the back of our planes. The group with clips on the back went first, and tried to throw their planes through a hoop. Jade was the only one in the group who succeeded. Might the curator be trying to prove something to us? The group with the clips on the bottom stepped up to the line, and almost every airplane went through the hoop. Aha! The curator explained that the clips needed to be on the bottom for balance purposes. We then held a contest with all of the clips stationed on everyone's planes at the bottom. After several rounds, Tori emerged as the winner! Dr. Roger Launius, curator of the National Air and Space Museum's Space History Division, arrived to take us to the front gallery to discuss space travel. This was really some exciting stuff, and the kids as well as the parents hung on to every word. The children were especially enthralled with the space suit (photo 1) (photo 2) in the main lobby, and of course asked the inevitable "bathroom question." After a quick lunch in the museum and some free time, we headed out to the Capitol. First, we stopped on the steps to pose for a group photograph. Then, it was off to Senator Ben Nelson's (Nebraska) office for a tour of the Capitol. After taking a group picture of the kids in the Senator's well-furnished office, we broke into two groups and were led through the maze-like halls of the Capitol to view various sculptures, paintings, the old Supreme Court chambers, and more. We sat in the senate gallery and listened to a debate on automotive emissions. The group watched intently as C-Span came to life. With mostly everyone running out of steam, it was time to head back to the hotel. After a short rest, we drove back across the Potomac (Potomac Wave!) to the Iwo Jima Memorial where the Marine Corps Band presented a special program. Jennifer and Dana provided us with a delicious and well-stocked picnic dinner of regular and veggie burgers, hot dogs, cole slaw, scrumptious cornbread, chips and more, while we watched the Marine Corps band in action. Then back on the bus, one more Potomac Wave, and we arrived at the hotel. But the kids were still really juiced, so some of them plopped themselves in the hotel lobby to play a rousing game of Catch Phrase! (link) (photo)
Wednesday, July 30 - The last two days of high energy and the late-night game of Catch Phrase took its toll. But we didn't have long to sleep with our heads on the breakfast plates, as we quickly lumbered off to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History --the museum with dinosaurs! The group was broken into two, and half went off to participate in hands-on study with fossils, while the other half followed Harold Banks, a museum specialist with the National Museum of Natural History, for a tour of the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals. Here is housed the famous Hope Diamond. Everyone was dazzled by the gems and minerals, and the computer models of meteors and destruction they can cause when colliding with Earth were fascinating. After some free time, we drove by the White House and took some photos. Since September 11, tours inside the White House have been heavily restricted, and we had not (at least by this point) been permitted access. Little did the families know that Scott was working behind the scenes to help the children obtain entry to the White House before the project ended on Saturday. Then, back in the bus, and off to the hotel for some rest before heading out to the Hard Rock Café! Of course, the children--and the parents-- were thrilled to see "My Sacrifice" playing on the television monitors as soon as we were seated. Everyone cheered at the sight of Scott on the screen. After dinner and some shopping, we climbed onto the bus one more time to travel to the Lincoln, Vietnam War, and Korean War Memorials. By now, the children were starting to congregate in the rear of the bus during our trips. There was no doubt that friendships were forming. Once we arrived at the memorials, the children asked Jennifer and Dana, and the parents, a lot of questions. On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, we witnessed two men carving a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr., on the very spot where Dr. King gave his "I have a dream" speech. The evening was clear and cool, and the sunset was magnificent. On the way back to the hotel, Jennifer and Dana played a video on the bus monitors of Dr. King giving that speech. A number of the parents felt that this was an "electric moment," having just been to the Lincoln Memorial and seen the carvers at work. We piled back into the hotel, where some of the kids promptly set up for another game of late-night Catch Phrase in the lobby.
Thursday, July 31 - By now, everyone was way beyond exhausted, having kept up a 7:30 am to nearly midnight schedule all week. But the excitement of the adventures that lie ahead was too strong, and we were soon roused and headed out the door for our last day of Close-Up-organized activities. Today we headed to the Smithsonian National Zoo for a look at the cheetahs, the pandas, the camels, the monkeys, and nearly everyone's favorite, the mother and baby elephant. Following our tour, we bussed it over to Union Station's huge food court for lunch. The Station is huge, beautifully restored, and was bustling with all kinds of people. After lunch, we drove to the Jefferson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorials (link) (photo) for a study of both American heroes. About this time I received the call I had been waiting for--with the help of Mark Rodgers and Eden Gordon of the Senate Republican Conference Committee, Scott had succeeded in gaining access to the White House for all of the children and four parents who would be permitted to chaperone them. I told the group the wonderful news as soon as we were on the bus, and the excitement spread like wildfire! Everyone realized this was a wonderful opportunity and they expressed their thankfulness for Scott's efforts, and the Conference Committee staff members' assistance. After a brief respite at the hotel, we were transported to the Kennedy Center for a performance by the Virginia Youth Symphony Orchestra. The children were quite eager to see a performance by children their own ages, and the Symphony did a great job, playing a number of contemporary songs the children could recognize. Ariel and her dad, Daniel, looked especially dapper this evening, with he in his Texas National Guard uniform, and Ariel in a southwestern-style dress. Following the performance we had a delicious dinner at the Kennedy Center's restaurant. The views from atop the Center were fantastic, and we wanted to stay there for hours. Alas, it was time to head back to the hotel. Of course, the children set up another game of Catch Phrase as soon as we returned. But I returned to our room to prepare another surprise for the families.
Friday, August 1 - This was our day to go off on our own in our family groups to sightsee, but because we had successfully been awarded access to the White House, the families and I met in the lobby at 7:30 am. This was our first try at riding the Metrorail as a group, and it was quite a chore to keep everyone together. We arrived early at the White House, where National Park Service guides escorted us to the gate. The guides explained that because tours had been severely cut back, those who were awarded entry received an extended tour, visiting more rooms than when more tours were conducted. The children and four lucky parents chosen to chaperone headed into the entrance, while the remaining parents and I took a leisurely walk around the back for a beautiful view of the Rose Garden and the back of the White House. After an hour our group began to emerge. All of the children were brimming with fantastic stories to tell, such as the fact that President Taft was so large he got stuck in the White House bathtub and had to be cut out! The Secret Service received high praise as wonderfully informative, patient, and even humorous guides. At this point, the group was supposed to break into our individual families and go out on the town for a day of sightseeing, shopping, and what have you. Jade, Andrew, and I had planned to go to Arlington National Cemetery with Cipriano and Cip , after obtaining tickets for the popular Spy Museum, and we invited whomever wanted to come along to go with us. When Cipriano and I started walking to the Spy Museum, we turned around and saw the entire group following us! So we changed gears and became tour guides for 18 people. It was rewarding to know that the group dynamic was so good that even on the "own your on day" everyone still wanted to stay together! We went off to Arlington in a light drizzle and spent the morning and early afternoon visiting the John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame, which facilitated an intense discussion among the children on the events surrounding that tragedy; and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where we watched the changing of the guards. Behind the tomb, we viewed the Challenger Memorial, and were surprised to see that several astronauts from the Columbia tragedy were already buried in Arlington, next to the Challenger Memorial. The group them broke into smaller groups, with some headed off to the Spy Museum, some to the Holocaust Museum, and some continuing to explore Arlington. Around 6 pm, we returned to the hotel to complete the family timelines the children had begun earlier in the week. In this project, the children, with the help of their parents, incorporated historical events we had studied during our week in DC, with personal events, such as marriages, births, attendance at colleges, and other significant occurrences, into a linear time line. Jennifer and Dana provided pictures, photos, paper, and other artistic media for the children to use to complete their timelines. About the time the families were wrapping up this project and getting ready for our farewell dinner, the phone in the room rang. I answered it, and told Matt he had a phone call. At sixteen, Matt was the oldest child in the group, and acutely aware of Scott Stapp and his music. Matt took the phone, and didnbt realize that he was talking with Scott! I whispered to him, "That's Scott Stapp on the phone!" The look on Matt's face was priceless! The previous night I had prepared a document for Scott that listed personal information and interests of each of the children, so that Scott could carry on a real conversation with each child. When the others learned who was on the phone they clamored for their turn. They each beamed as Scott discussed their interests and more. It was apparent that each felt very special to have someone famous know something about him or her. Fifteen-year-old Tori stood dumbfounded, repeating that she couldn't believe she had actually spoken with Scott. Even the younger children were smiling ear to ear. We then held our farewell dinner, where we played for the families "Don't Stop Dancin", "Lullaby," and of course, "With Arms Wide Open," among others. The families were presented with a variety of Foundation merchandise-- hats, chokers and necklaces, portable coolers, and more--to take home with them. The children were giddy with excitement from having spoken with Scott, and from the wonderful week we had experienced together. After dinner wound down, the children set up in the lobby for one last game of Catch Phrase. Tonight, the parents didn't want to let the evening go, either, and we sat in the lobby until 2 am. We realized that, like the children, many of us had become friends over the magical week we'd spent together, and we, too, didn't want it to end.
Saturday, August 2 - Who would have thought that in just six short days, this group could have become so close? It was too soon time to say good-bye to our new friends. Tears, hugs, and pledges to stay in touch abounded. Everyone seemed to realize and appreciate the fact that Scott had made possible this wonderfully fantastic, unforgettable dream trip. The families headed out for the airport and the train station, parents and children hand-in-hand, promising to forever remember this incredible week that they were able to share with each other. We watched them go and once again felt deeply thankful to have the opportunity to work with Scott to make a real difference in the lives of America's families.
On behalf of Cipriano, Cip, Alan, Aaron, Shimane, Kate, Christopher, Tori, Lynn, Ben, Daniel, Ariel, Maureen, Matt, Shelly, Spencer, Juliette, Joelle, Anthony, Garrett, Jade, Andrew, Jennifer, Dana, and myself, we hope you enjoyed sharing our interactive travel journal with us!
.Cindy McNeely