Several siblings living in separate foster homes were recently able to reunite and spend time together at a nearby water park.
On July 15, St. Jude’s Ranch for Children helped facilitate a get-together with 17-year-old Marilyn Bazaldua and her younger sister, two younger brothers and two cousins at Cowabunga Bay in Henderson. The siblings are in three different foster homes.
Bazaldua said she was excited to be there because “it’s always a good time to hang out” with her siblings.
She also said it’s nice to escape reality and be somewhere that everyone is enjoying themselves.
According to Paige Candee of Candee Communications, which coordinates public relations for the Boulder City foster care facility, St. Jude’s originally planned to hold a larger gathering but due to current restrictions had to change the setup.
“The stay-at-home order has been especially difficult for the brothers and sisters that live in different foster care homes in our community,” said Candee. “But St. Jude’s Ranch for Children and Cowabunga Bay have figured out a way for the children to get to spend some time together with safety protocols in place.”
Candee said there would normally be as many 100 siblings seeing each other at the gathering, but to accommodate St. Jude’s the water park is allowing the sibling groups to come on different days throughout the month.
Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.