Greeson: True smiles always a great wish

Jay Greeson
Jay Greeson
photo Jay Greeson

There are never enough smiles.

Sure, we all feel that way sometimes.

Whether natural disasters, shootings or the verbal tyranny and attacks that have morphed into what passes for political discourse these days, there are always heavy topics around us.

Often they feel overwhelming, but those times come and go.

Imagine if they didn't. Imagine if they were not occasional and came with life-changing, cringe-worthy names like neuroblastoma. Or osteosarcoma.

Or acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Those names are heard daily. They are deadly, and most certainly make the need for even an occasional smile all the more desperate.

"There were a lot of smiles through the tears," WDEF on-air personality Chip Chapman said of Saturday's "Wild Night at the Chattanooga Zoo."

Chapman prevailed in a fundraising competition with other area TV personalities (WRCB anchor Cindy Sexton and WTVC meteorologist Brian Smith) sponsored by EPB.

The trio raised more than $12,000 in donations for the area Make-A-Wish Foundation, with Chapman raising the most. As a reward, he chose for all of the children affected by cancer in a 36-county area in the local Make-A-Wish program to have an all- expenses-paid shindig - EPB picked up the tab - at the Chattanooga Zoo last weekend.

As you would expect, there were plenty of laughs and hugs and, yes, even those precious smiles for the kids and the parents.

The invites were extended to the parents who have lost children - they are affectionately called Angel Parents - and several of them attended.

Among them at the Zoo on Saturday were Jim and Cindy Webster, who started the Lana's Love Foundation after their daughter, Lana Beth, died 11 years ago. Lana's Love is committed to helping families with sick kids cope with the mounting financial stress. The Websters frequently say they don't want families having to choose between utility bills or prescriptions.

"It was great to see them," Chapman said, "And Jim said, 'Lana Beth would have absolutely loved this event.'

"That means so much."

Everyone involved certainly feels the same. A chance to see smiles and not worry about the next round of treatment or shots or the next visit to the next specialist.

There were more than 400 people there, Chapman said, and they all were treated to Bones Smokehouse barbecue and Tomahawk ribeyes grilled by Big Jim Stancil from the Food Network's series "Chopped." Games, music, face painting, live music, the zoo and even a Chattanooga firetruck showed up.

It was good and should remind all of us to count our blessings.

"There was a 7-year-old cancer survivor in a wheelchair who I heard tell his parents, 'This is wonderful ... this is a God thing,'" Chapman said.

Sounds about right.

Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6343.

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