Relief for parents: Group gives caregivers a break

OREM — Christopher Nelson plans on going to medical school.

He studies faithfully and is preparing for the MCAT. On some Friday nights, he dresses up as a nurse and assists in pretend surgeries. But this isn't part of the Utah Valley University student's preparation for his future career. Nelson does this while serving children with special needs, children who attend Friday's Kids.

Friday's Kids is a nonprofit organization that offers a safe and fun place where parents can take their special-needs children for a few hours on Friday or Saturday nights, said Toshiko Dignam, executive director of Friday's Kids.

"The mission of Friday's Kids is to give parents a night off to either go on a date with each other or play with their other kids and feel comfortable with who they are working with," Dignam said.

Many parents with special-needs kids are 24-hour caregivers with a child who needs special attention a normal baby sitter couldn't provide, she said.

Friday's Kids has two nurses trained to work with special-needs children. The nurses and a few others are paid to work for Friday's Kids. Most who work there are volunteers.

About 500 people volunteer each year to watch the children or help coordinate fundraisers, Dignam said. Most of the volunteers are from BYU and Utah Valley University.

"Our budget would be twice as much if we had to pay people to come in," she said.

Right now, Friday's Kids serves 48 families who don't receive any financial aid from the government. The average wait time to get aid is five years, Dignam said, but they have one family who's been waiting for 15.

Before the children come in, volunteer coordinator Amy Powell gives the volunteers a 15-minute orientation. Each volunteer gets a folder with detailed information about the child they will watch that night.

As soon as the kids get there, they choose what they want to do, whether it is playing in the ball pit, jumping in the bounce house or singing Disney songs, Powell said. She says one little girl who comes immediately asks, "Who's my friend tonight?"

"The children love it," Powell said. "The volunteers get to see the joy in the children and the parents who are so appreciative. You can see the relief on the parents' faces after they've had the night off. It's a good way to spend a Friday night."

The organization will hold a silent auction and dinner Saturday at the Springville Museum of Art. Attendees can bid on items such as a handmade quilt, gift baskets, tickets to Disneyland and a camp stove, said Diane McNeill, co-founder of Friday's Kids. The group is hoping to raise $8,000.

"Friday's Kids offers to the community a chance for families to become stronger — creating stable families," McNeill said. "And it offers volunteers the opportunity to become better people and to serve in the community in a way that makes a difference. All you have to do is come to Friday's Kids, and you can see how it makes a difference."

Friday's Kids has two locations, one in Orem, 475 W. 260 North, and one in Salem, 345 N. state Route 198.

E-MAIL: slenz@desnews.com

Friday's Kids auction

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Where: Springville Museum of Art, 126 E. 400 South

Cost: $40 per person