Couple's Night Out...What was it Like?

Alhamdulillah, we were able to raise $300 from the Couple's Night Out on Saturday.  That's half an orphan, or enough money to support one of our orphans for half a year!

We had a huge turnout during the event.  Alhamdulillah, many parents entrusted us with their kids.  And the kids had a great time.  The 99 Orphan team members worked hard to make the event a success.  We spent many hours organizing and managing the program, the activities and games we would play, the set-up of the center, and more.  On Friday, we brought our toys, games, pillows, and mats and attempted to creatively set up the center to make it look inviting and fun.  The Toddler Center especially looked awesome and the orphan team members found it fun to play with the stuff even before the kids arrived the next day!  Below are some pictures of the set-up.  We are grateful to the members of the Rescue Rangers team who helped us out!

Setting up the dolls and stuffed animals

Before the event, the gratitude committee along with some members of the events committee worked on thank you goodie bags for the parents.  We put a few Hershey kisses in each bag which were intended for the parents (but many of them ended up with the kids in the end).  The goodie bags looked pretty, however, and that counted for something of course!

And now...entering the day of the event....

The dress-up area was one of the biggest hits.  The little girls and boys (and the big girls and boys!) enjoyed trying out different hats, fashionable glasses, pretty jackets, hair decorations, knight armor, and more.  Three of the little girls announced to me that they were dressed up as princesses and I got a very cute picture of them posed together:

Three Little Princesses

There was even a little dressing table and mirror for the kids to check out how their outfits looked.

Dress-Up!

The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse felt wall hanging was also a great hit.  The kids enjoyed putting up the characters, shapes, and numbers.  It was lots of fun.  One funny memory about this section is that when we were setting it up the day before the event, the 99 Orphan members were adjusting it according to their height (which was kind of high)!  The end result, however, seems to be just the right fit for the kids. :)

Of course, playing so hard made some of the kids tired.  We had a lovely little comfortable area for them to rest.  One of the girls who was in charge of the babies and toddlers saw that one of the little kids was falling asleep in his chair after eating.  She carried him to our little resting area where he enjoyed a little nap.  :) Below is one of the adorablest pictures of the event:

Little Ibrahim off to DreamLand...

In the other room dedicated for the older kids, there were more games and interactive activities.  The Lego area was definitely the biggest hit there and all the kids enjoyed taking turns making their own creations and trying out different combinations of Legos.  The younger kids had colorful blocks to play with in their room, but some of them preferred to join the "big kids" and use the legos.

The 99 Orphan member boys in charge of the different stations in the that room led a few fun games of Charades.

A Game of Charades

We had a storytime room, too, decorated with comfy pillows and beanbags with stories and arts and crafts.  Unfortunately, we don't have any pictures of that.  If anyone has any, please share them with us!

Of course, everyone enjoyed the pizza, as well.  Different groups of kids were assigned different times to eat in the kitchen and all the kids enjoyed the pizza.
The babies and toddlerswere specially fed by our Baby Team.  :)

Speaking of our babies, it was great to have two babies under two years of age join us.  One initially refused to leave his mother's side and cried a bit in the beginning when he realized she intended to leave him with us.  But he soon became involved with the toys and had fun the whole time!  Our other baby wanted her mom a bit more throughout the evening, but the Baby Team members took turns distracting her, carrying her around, and attempting to get her to play with the wide array of toys.

Another method to keep a child engaged...the 99 Orphan team only uses this method in certain situations

One thing is for sure.  Your kids were in good hands!  We all hope the parents were able to enjoy themselves while we took care of their kids.  We are contemplating having another similar event in the future, insha Allah, but so far all the 99 orphan team members have unanimously voted against having one...so time will tell if we will have another one or not. :)

However, not only was the Couple's Night Out a great way to raise funds for orphans, but it also was an event that left lasting memories in our minds.  The slip of a little palm in your hand, the bright smile of a happy child, and the laughter of kids having fun are unforgettable experiences that make things like tears, whiny voices, and messes worth it. 

Please join us on our journey to help orphans.  If your child had a good time and/or you had a nice rest during the event, please consider donating to our orphans.

- Nur Kose
President