Blog
A Spectacular Surprise
January 30, 2018There’s never a dull moment at CUCS! We pride ourselves on seizing every opportunity to help build brighter futures and one of those opportunities came knocking just a short week ago. On Tuesday, January 23rd, our young residents from the Sydelle and Lenniger residences were in for a big surprise – and we still can’t contain our excitement!
Thanks to The Birthday Party Project, along with the Today Show and the LEGO store in Flatiron Manhattan, our young residents experienced something they’ll never forget: a surprise birthday party aired on live-national television!
It was an early start to the day for the 26 participating kids, ages 5 to 13, who assembled in the lobby of the Sydelle at 5:45am, anxiously waiting to find out more about the special field trip. After checking in, everyone was welcomed into the community room for a delicious breakfast generously provided by Pret A Manger, which included egg sandwiches, bagels, muffins, orange juice and more.
Shortly after breakfast, two luxury coach buses pulled up outside the Sydelle. Everyone was eager to hop on and find out where they were headed! To their surprise, Jenna Bush Hager, a member of the Today Show, along with her camera crew, jumped on board and greeted everyone. The kids were ecstatic to see the TV personality, excitedly asking her all kinds of questions. They learned about the production process from the camera crew and even discussed what type of shows they would one day run themselves.
The bus made its way down the Bronx, into Queens and finally into Manhattan for the big reveal. During this time, the kids participated in several live teasers which built up their excitement even more. Once the buses arrived in Flatiron, everyone was escorted off the bus and straight to the LEGO storefront. The three January birthday kids were greeted with birthday crowns and badges while The Birthday Party Project staff and volunteers cheered everyone on.
A superhero-themed party awaited everyone inside the store, complete with capes, face painting stations, a live Superman, cupcakes, balloons, and of course, cake! As soon as the store doors opened, the children ran inside where they were met with lots of cheers and gifts. A special celebration was held for the three birthday kids where everyone sang Happy Birthday to them on live television. The kids enjoyed the festivities a while longer before heading back home or school. They couldn’t stop raving that this was “the best day ever”!
CUCS and The Birthday Party Project have been in a close partnership for about a year now and we’re thrilled that they invited us on this wonderful opportunity to celebrate our kids. These opportunities not only bring joy to these kids, they enable them to dream big. We’re grateful to The Birthday Party Project, their partners and everyone else involved in making such a special day happen!
