For the 10th year, NIH's Recreation and Welfare Association sponsored premiere night at the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, held Mar. 21 at the Verizon Center downtown. This year, R&W partnered with 50 nonprofits, including Easter Seals, and entertained thousands of children from area hospitals and their parents, including some 1,400 homeless or near-homeless people.

"From the NIH community, we had close to 1,000 and we were able to host the children from the Children's Inn and Special Love," said Randy Schools, R&W president. "We were also able to have a pizza party ahead of time at the Verizon Center."  

In the past decade, the sponsoring organizations provided 65,000 tickets that were distributed through social workers in the region. "For many families, this is the only time they receive free, family-oriented entertainment," Schools said.

Eighty-four pediatric and adult patients and their family members from the Children's Inn and the CC were able to go on the trip thanks to R&W. The patients and their families enjoyed a pizza dinner and then got to go down on the floor of the Verizon Center for a close-up encounter with circus entertainers.

For the last few years, circus members have made their youngest audience members smile not only at the show, but also during a special visit to the CC.

Holly Parker, recreation therapist with the CC recreation therapy department, said, "This circus trip is a highlight of the year for many of our patients and their families. The children and adults are always smiling at the end of the evening and talking about which circus act they enjoyed the most."—Jenny Haliski

Photos: Ernie Branson