A big crowd of city officials, police officers, firefighters, military personnel and local residents came out to welcome the Snowball Express into Rockwall as it escorted over 400 family members of fallen military heroes to have a fun-filled time at Shenaniganz-Rockwall on Monday, Dec. 14.
Members of the Patriot Guard Riders led the Snowball Express procession of 10 busloads into the parking lot, and folks lined up to show their support for the kids and surviving spouses of fallen soldiers by waving American banners and patriotic signs, and giving a round of applause and some high-fives to the family members. After this “Honor Walk,” the family members proceeded to enjoy bowling, arcades, Laser Tag, mini golf and all other sorts of fun adventures inside Shenaniganz.
Parker Coddington, a partner at Shenaniganz, said the entertainment venue was only too happy to provide an exciting time for the kids, especially knowing the hardships they’ve gone through in losing a parent.
“Shenaniganz is really excited to host these families,” Coddington said. “To know these kids in these families have lost a parent in active military service, it’s really tough for them. So it’s a really cool thing that Snowball Express does to bring them all together. It’s just a fun way that Shenaniganz can give back to the community.”
Since its formation in 2006, Snowball Express has provided hope and new happy memories for the children of fallen military heroes on active duty since 9/11. Through a team of volunteers, Snowball Express brings kids and surviving spouses of the fallen all over the world together for a four-day experience full of fun activities such as amusement parks, entertainment venues, sporting events and more, in hopes of making each child feel special and giving them a chance to spend time with other kids who have also lost a parent in the military.
According to Coddington, the exciting environment at Shenaniganz makes the time these kids get to spend with one another all the more memorable while also helping them to heal.
“One of the best things about Shenaniganz is that we can give back to kids in such a fun and meaningful way, and help them connect with kids in similar situations, connect with the parents and build some good memories to help offset the ones that aren’t so good,” he said.
Rockwall Mayor Jim Pruitt said the event symbolized what the City of Rockwall stands for: giving hope to those going through hard times and providing aid to those in need.
“The whole philosophy of this community is volunteering and caring for other people, giving a chance to people who otherwise wouldn’t get this opportunity,” Pruitt said. “The folks with Shenaniganz have been fantastic in hosting this event. This is what Rockwall is all about. It’s about communities and families and if we can help these families, then we’ve done our job.”
As one of the few charities dedicated towards serving the children of our nation’s fallen military heroes, Snowball Express appreciates any contributions or donations made to help it give a heartbroken child some happy memories. To donate or for more information, visit snowballexpress.org/.
Photos and story by Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News.
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