Playtime at Dodie’s Preschool had its young pupils hopping to help others.
This year’s “Hoppin’ For Kids that Can’t” raised a record-breaking amount of $4,287 – the greatest amount the event has amassed in the quarter-century it’s been happening at the preschool.
Proceeds from this year’s 25-year-record-breaking “hop,” which took place on March 28 and 29, are serving as a beacon of hope and support to a Pictou County boy fighting lymphoblastic leukemia. Tylor Allen, who is staying at Ronald McDonald House, is receiving treatment for the disease.
“I have been in the hospital for a month,” wrote Allen, who noted his treatment has included three spinal taps and two bone marrow raps, and he’s had to deal with kidney stones and the insertion of a chest tube while in the hospital.
Allen wrote “all of this and two to three more years of treatments, and medications” is what he expects to deal with before he is rid of his leukemia.
“We are so thankful you chose us for the bunny hop, as the money will be very helpful with hospital costs, travelling expenses, food and medications,” he added.
Dodie Lamey, owner and operator of the preschool, said that the response this year has been “phenomenal,” adding that “Pictou County is so good for supporting people in need – it’s incredible.”
Half of the money raised by this year’s “bunny hop” will go support Allen’s treatment and family, while the other half will be contributed to Ronald McDonald House.
Lamey noted that she chose to donate half of the proceeds to Allen because “he was not high profile enough,” compared with other families in Pictou County who have received support.
“We knew about other families who were in similar ordeals getting support, but they recommended we help Tyler,” said Lamey, noting that she too recognized he and his family needed the support, and at that point were not getting enough of it.
“His mother is at home with his three siblings, so I think (the donation) will come in handy,” Lamey added.
This year, Lamey noted that the “hop” coincided with the preschool’s annual Easter party, so the children doing the hopping could get sponsors to participate. Children participating in the event would hop around, dressed like Easter bunnies, after collecting donations from people in the community.
“The children make bunny ears, a tail and get a little black nose, complete with whiskers and they hop for approximately three minutes,” wrote Lamey in an email to The News, describing the event. “The children realize how fortunate they are to be able to run and play and really want to help the children that, for whatever reason, are unable to.”
