Speaker 1: 0:00

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Speaker 1: 1:11

I'm Martha Jackson and you know there is never a shortage of fun community activities to do with your family in our town, and one of my most favorite memories when my kids were younger was going to family night at Six Flags. So if you're not familiar with it, the Women's Auxiliary to Children's Medical Center of Dallas puts this on every year, and it's a wonderful opportunity to bring out a group of friends and your family and go out there and ride the rides. The park is a little bit less crowded than it normally is, which makes for a really nice evening, and if you go early to the VIP area, you literally can jump on the rides before anyone else is there. You can even just keep getting back in line and doing your favorite ride over and over again. I don't know if you've ever been to Six Flags in the summer, but it can be pretty crazy and also extremely hot, but this event is every April in the spring, before it gets too hot.

Speaker 1: 2:00

So it's a perfect chance to go with your friends and family and just enjoy a really nice night. But, most importantly, the money that's raised from this event goes back into Children's Hospital and really helps the families and the children that are being treated there. So, to talk about this event and this very important organization, I have invited the chairs for Family Night at Six Flags to join us and tell us all the details that we need to know. Ladies, welcome, I'm so excited to talk to you today. Well, we have a full house today in the Bubble Lounge. Let's go around and introduce yourselves and tell us how long you've been in the auxiliary.

Speaker 2: 2:34

My name is Bessie Doffmeyer and I have been involved for about five years.

Speaker 3: 2:39

Hi, my name is Meredith Baird and I've been involved for the last three years.

Speaker 4: 2:44

Hi, my name is Sarita Francis and I have been involved for the last three years.

Speaker 5: 2:48

And I am Claire Arnott, and I have also been involved for the last three years.

Speaker 1: 2:53

Well, I am super excited to talk to you guys today. I've been working with this group for a couple of years now and we had such a good time promoting Family Night at Six Flags last year. But for those that may not be familiar, can somebody just kind of give us some history about the auxiliary, how it started and what you all do?

Speaker 4: 3:11

The Women's Auxiliary was founded in the 1960s and all of the money raised throughout the year through certain events goes back towards Children's Health.

Speaker 1: 3:21

Well, this year I had the pleasure of going to breakfast with Santa and then also deck the halls at the hospital. I was just blown away with the teamwork and just the magnitude of everything that this group pulls off. I mean, there's a lot of women in it and I always say when we come together and work together, we can achieve just about anything. How many people are in the organization?

Speaker 4: 3:43

There are currently about 600 active members.

Speaker 1: 3:45

Oh, wow, that's a lot. Well, I just joined and we were saying before we started recording I feel like for the most part it is kind of moms with younger kids, and here I am with a 20-year-old and a 16-year-old, but I am here to serve and I can't wait. But tell us just a little bit about being involved in this organization.

Speaker 2: 4:04

Well, it's a wonderful group of women and thank you for joining. And also, you know, there really isn't. It isn't limited to younger only, but it is. It's a great organization. I think it helps people to really feel involved in their community. So many of our children have had to receive care or maybe they haven't but they will from this amazing children's hospital and it's wonderful to feel like you can give back to something that has given so much to your family. We feel like getting to make this effort. You get to go into the hospital, you get to meet some of the nurses, you get to meet some of the children and, depending on which event, it is that the Women's Auxiliary is working on, some of these events really do just help you feel so bonded with this wonderful community.

Speaker 5: 4:53

And we cannot forget to mention the foundation team, who really makes all of this run smoothly.

Speaker 2: 4:59

They make all of our jobs easier. We get to come in and do some of the fun jobs and plan some of these big events, but the foundation team they do. They work from dawn till dusk and really make it so that we can contribute and we can get involved and, you know, really feel a part. I think we're also excited to be helping this time with Six Flags, just because we all have kids that are these ages and so it's fun. You know our kids get to go and have the most fun celebrating and, you know, riding all these exciting rides, but at the same time it's changing the lives of so many children that need this care.

Speaker 1: 5:41

Sure, I mean it's a win-win for everyone.

Speaker 2: 5:43

Right.

Speaker 1: 5:44

Everywhere you go this time of year, you see the signs all over the neighborhood. Everyone's talking about it. Are you going? Yes, I'm going, you want to meet there, all that, but tell us why for somebody that might not be familiar why they should go.

Speaker 2: 5:57

Well, it's not like just a standard night at Six Flags. Six Flags is always fun, but a lot of times you have crowds and you know you can't kind of find your group. This night is reserved only for those that have bought tickets, that that money all goes back to the Children's Hospital and you're able to not wait in the line. In fact you can do the same line, I mean same ride, you know, six times if you want to, it's not crowded, it feels very safe.

Speaker 2: 6:26

And you know if you buy a ticket that's a VIP ticket you get there even earlier and have complete access to Gotham City and then for a part of it and then even more, just complete access to the whole part before all of the general tickets come in. So and then once, once it's the general admission, even still it's never crowded. It's fun because you could bring, you know, two moms, could bring a group of 10 kids and feel comfortable and the kids can have fun and the moms can have fun. You know, I think it's kind of a tradition for lots of families to come and bring a group, but I think the parents have as much fun as the kids do, because it's very manageable. The parking is easy, food is easy to get to, so it just it doesn't feel as overwhelming as sometimes going to a giant, you know park can be For sure, and you see everyone you know.

Speaker 1: 7:20

I mean, I've hunted this for many years, especially when my kids were younger, and just everywhere you look you see somebody you know. So it's kind of like a reunion of sorts too. It's really fun.

Speaker 3: 7:31

And it really caters to an array of ages. And so I took my children for the first time last year and I had young elementary school kids and they had a blast riding all the different rides in a section of the park. And then my older son is coming again this year and he can't wait to get to the fast roller coasters at Gotham City, and so really kids of all ages can find their little niche in the park.

Speaker 1: 7:55

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Speaker 1: 8:10

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Speaker 1: 8:52

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Speaker 4: 9:42

throughout the year and I'm just so curious what do you do with all this money? All of the money raised throughout the year through all of our various events goes back to the auxiliary. And through the auxiliary we raise funds for the hospital priorities and we offer uplifting activities for patient families and we provide support and raise awareness for children's health. And Six Flags is particularly important because it's our largest fundraiser of the year.

Speaker 1: 10:07

So, for those that may not know, can you tell us what Children's Health is?

Speaker 4: 10:10

Yes, Children's Health is the leading pediatric health system in North Texas and it is anchored by two hospitals Children's Medical Center Dallas and Children's Medical Center Plano.

Speaker 1: 10:23

Well, I just feel like we are so fortunate to have that right here in our own community because you know, like you said earlier, so many of us have had children that needed help in the medical industry, and we're really lucky that we don't live someplace that doesn't have access to a situation like this. And it is an amazing place. I mean, it is really big, really top notch. The staff is amazing.

Speaker 2: 10:48

And I think what is special about the Women's Auxiliary is that we are able to come in and support the staff and the medical teams, and our organization provides support for them and for the families while they're there with their children. I think a lot of what the auxiliary does is make this big hospital feel smaller and nurturing to. Maybe we're not providing the medical care, but we're providing some of the added comfort that a lot of these families and children need while they're going through these situations.

Speaker 1: 11:23

Right. Well, what about any success stories of things that you were able to provide to the hospital?

Speaker 5: 11:29

Recently at our spring meeting, we were talking about donating toys and one of the girls that's in charge of this portion of the Women's Auxiliary stood up and said we can't forget about the teens, that the hospital beds have teenage girls and you know you can give makeup and skin care and things that they might care about. And I just thought that was such a neat perspective because I think when you think of children's health, you immediately think of very young children, but it goes all the way up to high school kids.

Speaker 1: 12:02

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Speaker 3: 13:03

Yeah, we're very excited to say that our honorary chair this year is the Colt McCoy family. Colt was a quarterback at University of Texas and he went on to play in the NFL, and he has just moved back with his family to Fort Worth and we are excited to have him as this year's honorary chair. He has a beautiful family of four little kiddos, and so pediatric care is near and dear to their heart, and so they are excited to join us for family night at Six Flags this year.

Speaker 4: 13:32

And our honorary patient family this year is the Brown family, specifically their son, cooper Brown. And Cooper, at only five weeks old, was admitted to Children's with a high fever and after running numerous tests they found that he had a rare form of childhood cancer called neuroblastoma. The tumor was the size of a grapefruit and it was discovered in his abdomen. Within a day of his diagnosis he was connected to his life-saving oncologist, dr Watt, and actually Dr Watt is our honorary physician this year. But Cooper is near and dear to all of our hearts because their family is so close to all of us. And now we can safely say that he's 11 years old and cancer-free and living a very normal childhood.

Speaker 1: 14:25

Well, I remember being at the ceremony last year and having the chance to hear the honorary family talk up there, and it was just so touching to hear the story and you just think to yourself that's what it's all about, that's why we're here right now and that's why it's so important to support things just like this. Yes, so many people have very personal stories with the hospital, so whenever we interview charities, I always love to ask because think about how many different options we have, especially in our community in Dallas. Our city is so philanthropic and there's so many options out there, but why is this one important to you?

Speaker 5: 15:02

And there's so many options out there, but why is this one important to you? No-transcript. And we were just treated so well and welcomed with open arms and we were there for almost three weeks and we saw numerous doctors and we left with just such a full heart of just what a calling it is to be a nurse and what a gift it is to be a child life specialist. And when we were, we did an externship last April and walking in that hospital was my first time to be in there since all of that and it just has such a special place with the wagons and the balloons and you see all of the kids walking around in the toy store. It was just such a special place and I will never forget our experience there.

Speaker 3: 16:00

It was just such a special place and I will never forget our experience there. And I'm not originally from Dallas, but when I moved here and I have to fill out all the paperwork for my kids, it was always write down children's. In an emergency you write down children's and I didn't quite understand that. But my son was five years old and we were leaving a Bible study and I take him home and he's like oh mom, I kind of fell and hurt my head and then I took him home and he starts like throwing up on the couch and he just kind of goes limp. And so I call my husband, I'm like 9-1-1, and he's at a lunch and he comes in the door and I'm like let's go to children's, let's take them right now. And we jump in the car, we rush down there and here I am, this like frantic first time mom.

Speaker 3: 16:43

I had no idea what was going on. All I knew is like I had to get to children's and once I got there we were accepted into the emergency room with open arms and they really like took care of Jack. They made sure everything was okay. He didn't quite have a concussion, but they didn't know all the different factors that were involved, and you know, here I was. You never know what lies ahead of you, but just to know that you can go to this incredible hospital in our community and be nurtured and loved on and supported, and so that's, you know, for me, was my passion towards children's, and it's, you know. Fortunately for us it wasn't yesterday's story but it could be tomorrow's. And just to be able to put that love around all the people in our community.

Speaker 4: 17:26

When my second son my younger son was nine months old, he got diagnosed with asthma and we were introduced via our pediatrician to a man named Dr Gelfand and he truly changed our life at Children's. His asthma was so severe that we were entered into a research case study and I had to go to Children's five days a week with my son for three months to do a swallow study for his asthma, and it cured his asthma. He eventually was able to grow out of it through the medicine that was prescribed to him and the specific study that he was on. And now we go back annually for checkups and I have all the resources that I need via Children's through his inhaler and nebulizer and other prescriptions that they were able to give us. But his time at Children's was so important to our family.

Speaker 2: 18:26

I moved here in 2019 from DC and my oldest daughter. We'd had lots of health issues for her before we got here and it was kind of stressful to move and not feel like you were already set up with your doctors and her issues had kind of increased right as we moved. So, jumping in, we were quickly encouraged to go to Children's and the doctors were incredible. She ended up having surgery two months after we got here and the care was so sweet, so gentle, comforting to me as the mother and to Perry as my daughter, and I feel indebted to them forever because they really were able to see what our situation was very quickly and we hadn't always found that, so we were grateful that they really jumped right in, saw what needed to happen and helped her.

Speaker 1: 19:33

Wow, those are all such great stories and I've heard many from other friends as well, and that's basically what they say is I just want to give back. They gave me and my family so much that I just want to give back Definitely. Remember when the big freeze happened and it seemed like every house in the neighborhood had pipes bursting, floors ruined and drywall falling throughout the house. Well, if this ever happens to you, don't stress. When emergencies strike, just call mother.

Speaker 1: 19:59

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Speaker 2: 20:37

Well, we work closely with the foundation team. It's an incredible group of women. Leah and Caroline, especially, are holding our hands through the whole process. They provide us with the next step that we need to take and, as much as I'd like to tell you, it's crazy and stressful it really isn't, because they are so on top of things and helping us to do our best in our roles, which is awesome. The president of the Women's Auxiliary right now is my twin sister and Claire's sister, and so I have to give credit there for all of her constant hard work on this. She has been kind of like the fifth man on this little team of ours, and so we're really grateful for all of her help as well.

Speaker 1: 21:26

Well, they sound like the dream team, for sure.

Speaker 2: 21:28

A hundred percent.

Speaker 1: 21:29

Well, let's switch gears and talk about Six Flags. I want to hear what your favorite ride is.

Speaker 2: 21:33

Well, I'd have to go with the Texas Giant. I mean, who doesn't love a big roller coaster? I don't.

Speaker 1: 21:41

I've never ridden it. I've ridden the Shockwave once. That was a little bit too much for me, so I really not so much on the Texas Giant.

Speaker 2: 21:48

I think the kids really love the big roller coaster and thrills more than we do. Their little bodies can handle it more and, yes, my husband would also be on the front car every time. Oh my gosh, I think it's also fun. During the VIP part we'll have face painters and a balloon artist. Drinks DJ. Dj P-Love is back, so for all those that were there last year, you'll get to see him again.

Speaker 1: 22:15

He really gets everything going and everyone excited, like all the kids are right up there in the front. He had them dancing and doing all the moves. It was so sweet.

Speaker 2: 22:24

It's a great way to start the evening. It definitely gets everybody's energy level up and there's plenty of food, which is nice, because once they start going on those rides, it's hard to get them to stop for a meal break, but you'll find anything you need Well for somebody who has never attended.

Speaker 1: 22:43

Tell us how we can find tickets and if there's any other opportunities to get involved.

Speaker 4: 22:49

Tickets are still available, and you can find them at givechildrenscom, and there are also sponsorship opportunities that you can still purchase too. So please buy your tickets and purchase your sponsors, if you can.

Speaker 1: 23:05

So talk to us a little bit more, because we talked about the VIP part of the evening, which starts much earlier. Tell us what the benefits are to that.

Speaker 4: 23:13

So we have a VIP reception and ribbon cutting at the event and ribbon cutting at the event. It begins at 4.30 and it includes a reception, a ribbon cutting ceremony and then exclusive access to Gotham City Rides for an hour and then for 30 minutes you have exclusive access to the entire park. Before the general admission tickets have access.

Speaker 1: 23:36

And everyone. I just have to say it is totally worth it to do this. It was so fun to get there early and just kind of get a head start on all the rides, like you're saying, and it's totally worth it.

Speaker 4: 23:46

Yes, the VIP reception includes lots of fun entertainment. We will have a DJ. His name is DJ P-Love and he really gets the party going. We will have drinks, balloon artists, face painters gets the party going, we will have drinks, balloon artists, face painters and plenty of food.

Speaker 1: 24:06

Well, thank you all so much for being here today. It's been so fun just to get updated on this year's Family Night at Six Flags. I know a lot of people are excited and they can't wait to go. Thanks for having us, thank you. Thank you so much. That's been another episode of the Bubble Lounge. I'm Martha Jackson and I'll see you next time.