Today, was just one of those days that ended with me teary eyed and a blubbery mess. Let me explain…
Vermont Camping Crown Point Camping Area |
Halloween, for me, is one of the hardest holidays to manage as a parent to a child with multiple food allergies. The entire holiday is based around collecting as much candy as you can from all of your neighbors and shoving as much of it in your mouth as you can handle before going into a sugar coma. So then what would happen and how would it make you feel if you or your child couldn’t eat the candy that you collected?
I know how it makes me feel: guilt, pity, and sadness. Even if I never let those emotions show on the outside, it’s how I feel on the inside.
My six year old son has multiple food allergies and has only a very small amount of safe candy. He is used to trick-or-treating for candy that he cannot eat…until today. Today, we both experienced something completely different.
The campground that we go to hosts a trick-or-treat event every year. But this year was different. This year they would make one little boy and his parents extremely happy…so happy that the mom (that’s me) turned into a teary eyed, blubbery mess. Without us knowing, one of the owners of the campground, Bonnie, purchased safe candy for our son. She then distributed the candy to the other campers throughout the campground with the instructions “pass this candy out to the pirate, it’s safe for him to eat”.
Can you even begin to imagine what it was like for me to see my son have a trick-or-treat experience where he was genuinely excited to get candy?? He came running to me after each camper with a huge smile on his face and yelling “Mom! I can have THIS candy too!” It made us feel…normal.
Well, as normal as you can get in this family. 😉
Bonnie - Crown Point Camping Area Vermont Campground |
So, today’s post goes out to Bonnie and Sean, the owners of Crown Point Camping Area in Perkinsville, VT, for making one little boy’s trick-or-treat experience something we’ll all never forget.
Even hours later while gathering around the last bonfire of the season, I couldn’t stop hugging Bonnie with tears in my eyes. I’m not sure if she truly understands what she did for our family. You can be sure that I’ll be reminding her over and over again. It takes a special person to do what she did.
Bonfire at Crown Point Camping Area Vermont Campgrounds |
Thank you, Bonnie!
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Elizabeth DiBurro
EBL Food Allergies
Easy Breezy Life
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Anonymous says
My family and I were there at that time and I knew that Bonnie had arranged that with the campers. I thought, "Wow, that's a lot to go through", but I then thought of my nephew of 11 years that has cilliac disease…he can't have any gluten and is similarly challenged when it comes to food.
They care…it's what makes Crown Point stand out.
I hope to see you there next summer.
Best, The Tinman
eblfoodallergies says
We are counting down the days!!!!
🙂