A BONDING ROAD TRIP FOR THE KIDS AND STAFF OF THE FLORIDA KEYS CHILDREN’S SHELTER

FLORIDA KEYS – As we locals look to rebuild stronger post-Irma, some kids served by the Florida Keys Children’s Shelter will have lifelong memories of their own “KeysStrong” experience.

Four children from the Tavernier shelter, which serves ages 10 to 17, and two babies from the Key West group home all evacuated to the Orlando area for nine days.

The older children stayed at Boys Town Central Florida’s Demetree Campus in Oviedo and got to enjoy the nearby Orlando attractions together just like a traditional family, including riding go-karts and visiting a waterpark.

“I really enjoyed my time with the kids and getting to know them even better. We watched movies and met new people at the host shelter. They let us cook in their kitchen and joined us together for meals,” said Marilyn Kirby, one of eight Florida Keys Children’s Shelter employees on the trip.

“Everyone had fun and played as a team. We got to meet new people at the other facility. Their kids showed our kids positive behaviors, and their staff gave pointers,” said Rose Spratt, who has worked at the Tavernier shelter for nearly 12 years.

Spratt explained that because the shelter is required to evacuate for approaching hurricanes of any strength, including Category One, many of its staff members have evacuated multiple times. Over recent years, staff from the Tavernier facility have relocated with the children to places as close as Key West and as far as Tallahassee.

Supervision is required 24 hours a day so the Keys staff worked eight hour shifts at the host shelter. They were able to rest in hotel rooms with the exception of the two nights when the storm was active. All staff took turns sleeping on the floor at Boys Town, which has a generator so the children were never without power.

“The Boys Town staff were great hosts. They let us operate as if we were in our own facility. During the day we participated in local activities selected by the children, their requests ranging from amusement parks to outlet malls. One of the girls had an interest in someday applying to the University of Central Florida so we all took a driving tour of the campus together so she could see it,” said Children’s Shelter resident coordinator Mark Olshansky.

He said that the favorite part of the trip for most was dining out together. “The children have had little opportunity to eat in restaurants and especially not the many different places that we tried in Orlando.”

“The staff kept positive attitudes in what for them was a stressful situation. They were away from their own families and didn’t have the ability to know exactly what was going on with their homes in the Keys,” Olshansky said. “The kids had no issues at all. For them it was a fun vacation.”

About the Florida Keys Children’s Shelter

“Safe Kids, Strong Families, and a Healthy Community” drives every facet of Florida Keys Children’s Shelter programming.  Serving Monroe County for almost 30 years, the nonprofit organization touched more than 500 lives last year through its no-cost programs; emergency shelter, group homes, community-based counseling, respite services and drop-in center for homeless and run-away youth.  For more information on services or learn how to get involved, please visit www.FKCS.org or call (305) 852-4246.

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]