Pony Express Family Fun Night in Eagle Mountain celebrates kid heroes
Nephi Miller takes a selfie with one of the Kid Heroes Foundation members during the Pony Express Days Family Fun Night on Wednesday, May 31, 2017, in Eagle Mountain. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the Kid Heroes Foundation dance and have fun with kids during the Pony Express Days Family Fun Night on Wednesday, May 31, 2017, in Eagle Mountain. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the Kid Heroes Foundation dance and have fun with kids during the Pony Express Days Family Fun Night on Wednesday in Eagle Mountain.
DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the Kid Heroes Foundation dance and have fun with kids during the Pony Express Days Family Fun Night on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Eagle Mountain. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the Kid Heroes Foundation dance and have fun with kids during the Pony Express Days Family Fun Night on Wednesday, May 31, 2017, in Eagle Mountain. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Kids jump through bounce houses during the Pony Express Days Family Fun Night on Wednesday, May 31, 2017, in Eagle Mountain. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the Kid Heroes Foundation dance and have fun with kids during the Pony Express Days Family Fun Night on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Eagle Mountain. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Kids jump through bounce houses during the Pony Express Days Family Fun Night on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Eagle Mountain. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Members of the Kid Heroes Foundation dance and have fun with kids during the Pony Express Days Family Fun Night on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Eagle Mountain. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
Kids jump through bounce houses during the Pony Express Days Family Fun Night on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 in Eagle Mountain. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
The weather was perfect for the Pony Express Days Family Fun Night on Wednesday, and a few superheroes joined the throng of bouncing kids.
The night featured a number of large bouncy houses, but some local Eagle Mountain children were more excited about meeting Captain America, Star-Lord from “Guardians of the Galaxy,” and a TIE Fighter pilot. The three movie heroes roamed the crowd, even dancing along with the children to the likes of the “Macarena,” “Hokey Pokey,” and “Boot Scootin’ Boogie.”
The three were volunteers with Kids Heroes Foundation, a Utah nonprofit that reaches out to children who are facing long-term illnesses or traumatic life events. Many of their visits are to hospitals along the Wasatch Front, to help break up the monotony of a long hospital stay. Dustin Kasai, founder and director of the organization, said their goal is to give these children a happy experience despite their difficult circumstances.
“We go wherever we’re asked to go, if it benefits a child in any way,” Kasai said. “The kids’ faces just light up. A lot of times they think they are meeting the real thing, and it takes the pain away for just a little while.”
Kids Heroes volunteers take this seriously, and the service can be both very rewarding and very difficult.
“Some are very hard to do,” Kasai said of meeting with children who are terminally ill. “But at least they have one of the last happy memory.”
This was the foundation’s first time participating in Pony Express Days, but it probably won’t be their last, as volunteer Ryan McCorriston, aka Star-Lord, explained. He lives in Eagle Mountain and his wife works for the city. She recruited his group.
He and TIE Fighter pilot Jonathan Lloyd were sweating in the sun Wednesday night, but both said it was worth it. They feel doing events like this one are a good way to give back to the community, while also enjoying themselves.
“It’s great interacting with the kids, and making someone’s day is awesome,” McCorriston said. “Plus, I’m a nerd, and I get to be my nerdy self. It’s cool to have my inner nerd come out for a good cause.”
More about the Kids Heroes Foundation can be found at www.kidsheroes.org. Eagle Mountain’s Pony Express Days will continue through this weekend. Information about the event can be found at eaglemountaincity.org/community/pony-express-days.