Christopher's
"Hang On to the Dream Foundation", currently on a 15-city tour
around the United States recognizing young people for their outstanding
achievements, recently made a young Nebraska girl's dream come true when
Christopher gave Sable Carfield of McCook, NE a voice compatible
laptop computer. Christopher, who was in Omaha recently
hosting the "Hang On to the Dream Music Competition" held at Westroads
Mall, had read in a local newspaper about the teen recently becoming certified
as a lifeguard, despite having no right arm and only a partial left arm.
"I
was so blown away by Sable's determination," Ewing says, "that I
wanted to invite her and her family to be my guests during the competition where
we were going to present Sable with a special award. However, after
speaking with her mother, I found out that Sable was in desperate need of a
laptop computer that works by voice recognition and I knew right away that the
organization had to do something to make that happen." So with the
help of one of the managers from a Best Buy store in Omaha, Christopher and the
Hang On to the Dream Foundation made the surprise presentation. "This is so
wonderful," Sable said, as tears ran down her cheeks. "It is so nice to
know that there are people out there who really care. This is really going
to help me do my school work a lot faster. It's been tough sometimes
trying to keep up, but this is really going to make it a whole lot easier."
"Sable is an example for all of us,"
Ewing says.
"She is a young person who has reached her goal of becoming a certified
lifeguard because of her sheer will to succeed, against all odds, despite what
others may say is impossible, no matter what. I applaud her for her hard
work and I am very proud to have met her. Because of her determination,
not only will she save lives, she will change lives. She already has."
The young lifeguard, who
recently turned 16 and just got her drivers license, says that she plans on
continuing to swim and hopes to become a Spanish teacher when she grows up.
The Hang On to the Dream Foundation is a national 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that helps kids reach their goals in life. Those who would like to make a tax deductible donation, or to nominate a young person who needs help with their dream, can go to www.hangontothedream.org/foundation.
Sable (center) with Hang On to the Dream
Foundation founder Christopher Ewing (right) and Best Buy of Omaha store manager
Cindi Horning (left)
who helped make the presentation of a
backpack with a voice-compatible laptop computer inside.