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Post by Joelle on Oct 17, 2019 12:55:28 GMT -8
October 18, 2019
Kai knocks on the door of 2 Pass Place. In the intervening months since he met Marina Barlow, he has had time to think about his idea to volunteer at the group home. If it can help get him experience with working with kids in the system, so be it. He truly feels this is what he wants to do. With his hospitality background, a future hotel for those who run away from abusive parents or bad foster homes no longer seems like a half-joke he made on his and Marina's first date while trying to come up with ideas for what job he wanted next. He hasn't officially met them, but his sister Graciela somehow knows someone who does, so it might get him an in.
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Post by starletinwaiting on Oct 28, 2019 1:09:15 GMT -8
Lucy opens the door, one of her grandbabies on her hip. "Hi." Lucy pauses to look the man standing in her doorway up and down. "Have we met?"
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Post by Joelle on Oct 29, 2019 13:17:15 GMT -8
"I don't believe so- not formally. I'm Nikolai Andrieux, but my friends call me Kai. I'm..." He pauses to think how the Henstredges and Bonners are connected. "The brother of your son's girlfriend's sister's best friend." He laughs. "That's confusing to think, let alone say. Anyway, I wondered if I might talk to you about the group home. Could you use any volunteers?"
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Post by starletinwaiting on Nov 5, 2019 14:22:27 GMT -8
"We could always use volunteers," Lucy replies with a little laugh. "Why don't you come in and we can talk more? I just put some tea on. Are you a tea drinker or more of a coffee person yourself?"
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Post by Joelle on Nov 5, 2019 15:03:25 GMT -8
Kai shrugs. "Either is good, really. Just a little milk and two sugars." He follows her into the house. "In case nothing I said made any sense before... my sister Graciela is best friends with June's sister Eliza."
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Post by starletinwaiting on Nov 10, 2019 15:27:09 GMT -8
"Oh, Eliza. Yes. I haven't gotten as much chance to get to know her, what with her being off at school for a lot of it," Lucy says as she pours them both a cup of tea. "But if she's anything like June says she is, she's a good one."
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Post by Joelle on Nov 11, 2019 10:17:30 GMT -8
"She is. I've had the pleasure this summer." Kai smiles. "And my sister needed a best friend. You don't find many of those when you've...been through stuff, it seems." Kai knows Lucy will probably know what he means. "Anyway, I'm hoping to get some experience in working with kids myself. My story isn't as scarring as some of my siblings', but I have a hospitality background. But after my wife left- I just couldn't do it anymore, you know? All those couples in all those beds, and what they're doing in those beds that I miss." He sighs. "But my idea is, why not open a hotel- a sort of emergency shelter before being able to be placed in a group home, while all that stuff is being worked out? Then if kids run away from bad foster homes- or bad parents- they'd have somewhere to stay."
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Post by starletinwaiting on Nov 11, 2019 10:34:31 GMT -8
"That sounds brilliant," Lucy says, handing him the cup of tea. "I know so many of the kids that come through the home need help long before we can actually get to them. We need more people and ideas like that in this world. People who are going to be compassionate and sympathetic towards these kids."
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Post by Joelle on Nov 11, 2019 10:41:14 GMT -8
Kai nods. "It started as a half-joke, something to kind of ease the pressure on a date when I had to tell the girl I was-still- looking for a job. It'd take a lot of money, and a building permit and all- but then I thought, why not actually try to do it? And my sister, Amy, did run away from a bad foster home."
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Post by starletinwaiting on Nov 11, 2019 10:48:34 GMT -8
"We have had our fair share of runaways come through here too. Maybe you could talk to them, see what things they'd want specifically to see in a hotel like that," Lucy replies. "And honestly, Alan and I could probably help out with fundraising and building permits. We've got some good connections and know a lot of really generous people who would be willing to help out with this sort of thing."
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Post by Joelle on Nov 11, 2019 11:42:35 GMT -8
"That would be great, because I really have no idea how to get started with that sort of thing, especially building permit stuff. And I'm fresh out of fundraising ideas. Also, I'd need people on staff eventually, like cooks. Make sure these kids get three meals a day and all that. Some don't. Or they don't eat well when they do." He sighs. "I'd like to basically give these kids the kind of lives they deserve while they're there. So that even if they age out of the system, for once they'll know, while stuff is being worked out, what it is to sleep in a warm bed, have a hot meal, and play all the video games and watch all the movies you can." He chuckles."Our cable bill will be off the charts- but isn't that what being a kid is? It would also have a huge yard, maybe a skate park, that sort of thing- and whatever we don't already have at the community park."
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Post by starletinwaiting on Nov 11, 2019 11:56:22 GMT -8
"Well, definitely start small," Lucy chuckles. "Don't try to bite off more than you can chew. Start with the essentials: the building itself, the rooms, the kitchen, that sort of thing. It'll be a lot easier to fundraise if you start with the basics work from there. More people Will be willing to back you if you show you know how to start reasonably and where you want to take things in a reasonable amount of time."
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Post by Joelle on Nov 11, 2019 17:19:35 GMT -8
Kai chuckles. "Oh yeah, definitely just the basics- and maybe the cable- for now. But if I could get fundraisers for that much, it would be great. What kind of events would you suggest holding? That's more my dad's area than mine- since he's a chef."
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Post by starletinwaiting on Nov 11, 2019 18:20:16 GMT -8
"Well, first starting off, dinners and auctions are a staple," Lucy says. "But you could get more creative and do things like bike rides or marathons. If you get some of the kids involved, even some of the kids who've recently aged out, you could do things like put on plays or dance recitald or talent shows. Have people donate clothes and do a clothes drive. Or have more fun with it and do a fashion show! Definitely get creative with it. And of course there's always crowdfunding, which you'd probably want to do in addition to other fundraisers."
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Post by Joelle on Nov 12, 2019 10:13:17 GMT -8
"My mom's a drama teacher, she'd love the talent show or play idea! Those are brilliant. And I think one of my sisters-in-law- which, you can imagine I have many in-laws!- studies fashion or fashion design. This could be fun."
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Post by starletinwaiting on Nov 12, 2019 10:51:21 GMT -8
"See? And bringing in your own family, especially since it sounds like a lot of them have experience one way or another with the system, would be a great way to show that you have people who are willing to support. The more people who are on board with the idea, even if all they can do is volunteer with the fundraising efforts, the more people will see that it's a thing that could be seen as necessary or at the very least wanted."
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Post by Joelle on Nov 14, 2019 15:17:32 GMT -8
"That's true, but I also wonder if there might be a way I could get more support in the first place. How would I let people know?"
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Post by starletinwaiting on Nov 14, 2019 15:28:50 GMT -8
"About the fundraisers or about the project overall? Either way, social media has started playing a hugely important role in this kind of thing. That eould be another great place to get the kids involved. Have one of them act as your social media manager."
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Post by Joelle on Nov 14, 2019 16:24:53 GMT -8
"That's a good idea! Do you know any kids you help who might be good at that?" Kai asks.
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Post by starletinwaiting on Nov 14, 2019 16:30:30 GMT -8
"I could think of a couple for sure," Lucy replies. "I bet any of them would be willing to help, but there's this one girl in particular that I think would be the most eager. Her name's Trina. She's a runaway herself. Multiple times. Not always successful. And she's actually recently been using her own social media as a means to bring to light some of the issues with the system. She's gained herself a pretty hefty following."
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Post by Joelle on Nov 14, 2019 17:00:03 GMT -8
"Sounds a bit like my sister, Dawn," he observes. "The running away- not from foster homes, but from ours. It continues sometimes even after someone is lucky enough to get adopted, you know. Sometimes they don't know where they fit in, or are in shock that they are wanted in the first place. Anyway, sure, I'd love to have her help."
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Post by starletinwaiting on Nov 14, 2019 17:11:10 GMT -8
"I will talk to her then. Is there a phone number or an email that I can give her so we can contact you about this?" Lucy asks, grabbing a notebook from the end table's drawer.
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Post by Joelle on Nov 14, 2019 18:07:17 GMT -8
"Nikolai.Andrieux@bg.com ," he says.
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Post by starletinwaiting on Nov 14, 2019 18:11:16 GMT -8
"Perfect. I'll pass that on to her," Lucy says with a smile at the man.
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Post by Joelle on Nov 14, 2019 18:43:59 GMT -8
"Thank you for your help. Oh! When would be a good time to meet everyone? And is there a particular task you'd like help with? Cooking? Laundry?"
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Post by starletinwaiting on Nov 14, 2019 18:48:49 GMT -8
"I can do whatever you need help with," Lucy says. "Does next weekend work for you? The next few days are pretty packed for everyone here."
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Post by Joelle on Nov 15, 2019 9:09:50 GMT -8
"Yeah, that would be great. What day? I'm free all weekend, of course."
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Post by starletinwaiting on Nov 15, 2019 9:18:56 GMT -8
"Want to aim for Saturday? We could do lunch or something for everybody," Lucy suggests.
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Post by Joelle on Nov 15, 2019 10:26:10 GMT -8
"Sure." He grins. "I'll spring for pizzas. Maybe then the kids will like me," he half-jokes.
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Post by starletinwaiting on Nov 15, 2019 11:39:34 GMT -8
"Ooh. That'll definitely raise their opinions of you," Lucy laughs. "I can send you what I usually order for them when we do pizza parties."
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2 new BG babies! (for real)
