Kid #17

Dear Future Sponsor,

This summer, the third anniversary of a project called The Walkabout is taking place. It’s a project created to help kids plant trees, realize the beauty of New Jersey, and also to get in shape.

Last time I had lots of fun and saw a lot of New Jersey’s nature while walking 15 to 20 miles a day. This year we will cover 212 miles in 2 weeks on foot.  But last summer I saw lots of road kill.  So this year I’ve started creating a website called webkill. It will show scientists and naturalists the information about how many dead animals there are on the highways of New Jersey. (It’s not finished yet).

This is a not-for-profit, tax deductible project so please contribute .The money you pay now is used to buy trees and sponsor needy kids for The Walkabout. It costs $25 to plant a tree and $140 per kid for the Walkabout. Each year we try to plant as many trees as there are years, so this year we’re trying to plant 2009 trees.

On our first day we are guests of the Liberty Science Center. We are actually sleeping there!   The mayor of Jersey City is one of our most valued supporters. Please join and donate.

Thank you,

Anonymous

Kid #16

Hi I”m 10 (now I can go on the walkabout!) last year it was easy for you people because you didn’t have to sponsor us also because less people wanted to join and there was more federal money but now we have more people who want to come and less federal money so you see please sponsor us and by the way it’s about time for the person out there to stop reading my sponsor sheet and sponsor me!!!

Kid #14

I know there isn’t anything special about me, nor is there anything I’m great at.  I’m not too much different than any other kid.  I’m a bit of a screw-up, and not much of a hard worker.  But I’m really hoping this whole thing can help that.  Some kids my age need this to help us out with our lives.  I went on the last 2 walkabouts, and they were an experience of a lifetime, there may have been a few incidents, and a few dramatic moments, and a few things that went wrong, but hey, that’s what makes memories.  People only seem to remember the bad things in life, but when they remember those bad things, they tend to think about the good ones to balance them out.  So we all need bad memories to help us remember our good ones.

Bad memories and bad moments are what make life were living.  If we don’t have bad memories or bad things happen to us, then we wouldn’t recognize the good things.  Good times or bad times, they’re all worth remembering.  Just think back to your child hood, think of the good memories and the bad ones, and I bet you couldn’t tell me that none of your bad ones led to good ones.  It’s ok, I’ll give you a few moments to recollect……….hi, welcome back.  How was it?

I bet if you had a chance like this as a child to gain good and bad memories from such an opportunity, you would.  In fact, I know you would.  Who wouldn’t?  We could all use an experience like this.  And it’s not too late; u can still make those memories.  Even if you don’t want to go on the walk for whatever reason, how about you help me out, and not only me, the many other children in this, and help our financial issues.  If you do, I promise, I will make the best and worst memories out of this, and I will share every single one with you so we can all laugh about them.  We can especially laugh about the bad ones, because those are the funniest.  You always look back at them and think “wow, I really blew that out of proportion” or “what was I thinking?”

Kid #13

Dear Future Sponsor,

“The large balloon floated high in the air, the team filling the basket, gigantic, smiling grins playing across their faces as they glided through the bright, blue sky. They waved toward everyone on the ground, seeming to be ants from the distance. How amazing it would be! Such a rare chance indeed…”
Do you wish that this could be a real experience for my team and I? If so, I, an Eagle in my group, ask you to be a part in the creating of this. I ask you to help us be those smiley kids up in that balloon, waving to our friends and family. I’m a B+ / A+ Pinnacle Class, 12 yr. old intermediate student born in Plainfield, New Jersey who is: insane (according to her friends), obsessed with art and creative writing (symbolizing the length of this letter), and very loving and caring toward others. My mother always calls me an ‘old soul’ because of my personality and the way I seem to have an answer to everything. I never let anything let me down, and I cheer everyone up when something bad happens. Even when I got mononucleosis, or Mono, in second grade, I was still my happy and peppy self and still helped my family.
My father and mother got divorced when I was very young, and I can hardly remember the event. My mother, brother, and I moved to a new house here in Beachwood, though we have moved to a new house since. Because Beachwood is a quaint and blandish type of town with very few ‘big events’, I’ve only seen hot air balloons once up close in my entire life, and that was at a rare balloon festival outside of town that was all but a one time event for my family and I. This is why I’m making such a big deal out of this balloon ride. It’s always been a dream of mine to ride on a hot air balloon before I turn eighteen, and this is my chance. But how can you help this dream become a reality? Just read on.
For every dollar that is donated to me from sponsors, I get one point added to my Walkabout total in points. Throughout the events and meetings before the walk, we slowly earn individual points which is, in the end, all transferred into a group total. Each group has about 5-7 people in it, and we’re separated by relationship and personality. As you can probably assume, there will be a large amount of points in every group at the end, but that doesn’t mean that it’s enough. What does this have to do with the balloon ride, you ask? Simple. Whatever group has the most points by the end of the Walk About gets to choose select members to go on the balloon.
Now, because I wish go on this ride so badly, I’ve created a little ”Thank You” game for those sponsors who agree to donate. If my group gets to go on the ride, which would require a lot of sponsorship points, the sponsor that donates the highest amount will be allowed to make a large banner that will be displayed off of the basket of our balloon when we go up. Think of all the friends, family members, and (if we can get them) news camera’s present! We will be having our own camera’s going and, since I’m in charge of some of the videos, I’ll be putting things together and posting them on YouTube. This is an amazing chance for advertising! But, please, remember the cause. The Walkabout is not just for us to have fun and collect points– it is for us to learn to appreciate nature, make new friends, and keep us all out of trouble. The balloon ride is just a little extra thing that I am looking forward to and hoping to go on.
Even if my wish is not granted, I will still be in high spirits! I thank all of the sponsors that do choose to sponsor me and my team, as well as to every other kind walker who is aiming for their own goals.

Thank you,

Kid #12

You should give money to me because I’m cute and adorable and that makes people happy. I really like trees. I use trees for lots of reasons. I even have a stick collection. I like climbing trees and I like eating edible plants (my dad knows alot about plants and I know more than basics).  I think we should plant more trees because I lived with trees as equals and for me this is like a chance to save 1000 lives or more. And I love the animals that live in trees. I love acting like the squirrels and trying to play with them, but the thing is they seem to trust me. I love everything about birds. Please sponsor me. Many animals would be very grateful, including me.

Kid #11

I am the youngest of 12 children. I like sports and play two of them, soccer and baseball. My friends say I’m a pretty cool kid. I like to help in lots of different ways. Even though planting trees is work, I enjoy it. I’m 11 years old and in fifth grade. My favorite football team is the New York Giants. Ihave long blond hair and blue eyes. I would love for you to sponsor me because this will be a great experience in my life.

Kid #10

I am 14 years old. (FINALLY!) I ride and race dirt bvikes since I was 4.  When I was 7 years old on April 2002 I raced my friends down my street on bicycle. Come to find out at the road there was a moving car and it hit me at 35 mph. and made my nose crooked. I ride a unicycle and I may start to hunt this year. So sponsor me and you will be my best friend (not really) but I would appreciate it.

Kid #9

Hi.I’m ten years old. And I play Baseball. And I have the coolest cousin ever.

Kid #7

Dear Congressman John Adler,

I am a big fan of yours. I grew up in a poorer part of New Jersey, Rosselle. My dad worked many overtime hours in Rahway State Prison, leaving my family alone at home numerous hours of the day. Until after 26 years working, we were able to save up enough money to move to Toms River, NJ where we still have to work hard to say in our home. I know, during these tough times, it will be hard to fund us. We will greatly appreciate the funding. I know as a Republican, conservation and trees aren’t your main focus. If you do this, I’m sure you will capture many liberal Democratic votes. For this walkabout, we plant many trees, and raise awareness of ecology and the unexpected beauty of New Jersey. With the funding, I can guarantee the right to use my name in your next campaign for congressman or even higher levels, President, doesn’t that sound great? President John Adler?
A donation of $2000 dollars would be greatly appreciated, but even a donation of $1000 would mean just the same. As you might notice (or not, since this is a website) this was originally written on recycled paper, and I used one piece on both sides to avoid the use of another piece of paper. I hope you take this letter seriously. Thank you. 

Kid #6

I’m 15 years old. I grew up in many places like Lakewood, Brick, Manchester, Toms River, and now South Toms River. My family is recently separated. My mom lives in Lakewood and my 2 sisters live in Manchester. My mom and dad separated when I was 7 years old. When I was 10 he moved to Puerto Rico and I haven’t heard from him in 8 years. When I grew up my mom worked two jobs plus overtime. She is still struggling to support me and my sisters. I joined this so it gives me something to do and meet new people, and explore new places. If you are able to sponsor us with $1000 dollars it will be great. But it will just be as great if you gave us $100 dollars.