2011年7月24日星期日

Charity's bedroom makeovers help children cope

Cheyenna Ames, 14, of Moberly, Mo., suffers from cystic fibrosis. Abbi Lucas, 11, of Bowling Green, Mo., is battling cancer for the second time. Every day,Our Ventilation system was down for about an hour and a half, Cheyenna and Abbi deal with their life-threatening illnesses.The new website of Udreamy Network Corporation is mainly selling zentai suits ,

But sometimes, the best way to cope with what they're going through is a cool, comfortable space the kids can call their own.

Special Spaces St. Louis is helping fulfill their dreams. They recently gave the girls a free bedroom makeover.

Todd and Lacy Gambill, co-directors of Special Spaces St. Louis, always wanted to form a children's charity. So, when an episode of the ABC reality show "Secret Millionaire " featured the national charity, based in Knoxville, Tenn.,I have never solved a Rubik's magic cube . they knew instantly it was their path to helping children.

The Gambills, along with Lacy's sister Jaime, her husband, Joe Reed, and their son Nathan, 10, from Elsberry, formed Special Spaces St. Louis in March.

Since 2004,Initially the banks didn't want our high risk merchant account . Special Spaces has designed more than 90 dream bedrooms for children with life-threatening illnesses without cost to families in the Knoxville area.

Special Spaces St. Louis has transformed two bedrooms this summer. "We want to give hope to these children by giving them their dream of a cheerful place to play and rest," says Lacy Gambill of Troy, Mo. The bedrooms are designed around the child's favorite colors, themes and special features. "We build custom-made desks, and some of the rooms get personalized touches with embroidery."

The renovation is completed in one day. Every bedroom design is unique to the child, and 80 percent of the room is completed on site, including building the furniture and creating the window treatments, bedding and pillows.

Cheyenna's room was sponsored by Ryan Moore, 10, and his parents Rob and Amy Moore from Eldon, Mo. "Ryan saw Special Spaces on the reality show 'Secret Millionaire' and at that moment decided to sponsor a child," says Rob Moore. Ryan used his birthday party to collect funds for Cheyenna's room in lieu of birthday gifts, and the Moores, who own a construction company, brought in their employees to help with the one-day makeover.

Randy Ames, Cheyenna's dad says, "This was so unexpected. We were so amazed to be selected. The bedroom makeover gave my daughter more privacy and more room to move around."

"I was just like so happy to get all new colors in my bedroom," says Cheyenna. "My bedroom didn't have a door, now it does, and I got a new clean carpet."

Cheyenna spends two hours a day on breathing treatments plus she takes antibiotics three times a day. "I have a good clean place to go when I'm feeling bad,the oil paintings for sale by special invited artist for 2011," says Cheyenna.

Randy said Cheyenna told him, "This is more than I could of ever ask for."

A few area businesses are jumping on board, too. Discount Decorating Outlet in St. Charles provided free fabric to make window treatments, bedding and pillows. Free carpeting and pads have been installed by Dugan's Paint and Flooring Center in Osage Beach, Mo., and Ligon's Flooring in Bowling Green. "We also get discounts at Old Monroe Lumber Company in Old Monroe, Mo.," says Lacy Gambill.

Special Spaces St. Louis works with child-life specialists at local children's hospitals to identify and select the children. The room renovations are scheduled based on the severity of the child's health condition.

The local chapter is looking for volunteers. The organization needs seamstresses and partnerships with furniture companies, hardware and paint stores and home décor stores interested in sponsoring the rooms.

The nonprofit also plans to create fun experiences for the children while their rooms are being renovated, such as a day of bowling, a trip to Six Flags or a Cardinals baseball outing.

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