newjerseynewsroom.com

BY KIM GRANATELL

KEEPIN' IT REAL WITH KIM G

My children have 3 iPods each and they're scattered throughout the house. One's on the counter, on the drawer, the table. They don't even know where. But there are sick children, children with pediatric cancer, who just want one iPod, because they want to listen to something in bed since they can't leave. How simple is that to fix?

It's these children, these children with such horrible illnesses and such simple wants and needs, that the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation supports.

These are children that are so sick and families that suffer so much. The mom normally loses income from taking the child back and forth to the hospitals and treatments. They just want help with things like paying bills, things that are really local and really hit home. They aren't asking for a vacation, just the everyday things of life. My heart was just like "Oh My God." I just wanted to give.

I recently attended a fundraiser at the Women's Club in Ridgewood for the Foundation, my favorite and only charity. The charity has a new director, Laura Savage, who is really passionate about getting the foundation out there and she's doing a fantastic job. It's because of her we had the fundraiser which raised a total of $18,000. It was such a wonderful night.

Harry Carson, a Hall of Famer for the New York Giants, swung by. Thank you to Tom Murro for arranging that. Harry was a last minute invite who was on his way to a birthday party and stopped by and donated a football and mini helmet, part of his private collection. He autographed both of them to be auctioned off. He was so gracious, so nice. He didn't have to come. He showed up and that was a great thing. He helped raise additional money that we got to give to the foundation.

It is truly rewarding to be helping these children. I basically got involved five years ago by reading about the Foundation in the local paper. Each week they reach out to the area about what they need. They ask "Can you help?" and list the wants and needs of the families. Lots of times the wants and needs are very simple. Maybe it's a tire for a broken down car or gift certificates to local restaurants. Not even restaurants, but McDonalds.

And what is so beautiful is that it's local. It's New Jersey based. They only take 25 cents on the dollar from the money they raise, and it's strictly for administrative costs. The money basically all goes right to the families.

It's not just sending a check in either. I've met children. I've done things with the children. I asked one day if any child was there that really wanted to do something, really had a dream. This one little girl's dream was to go to New York, ride in a limo and go to Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum and I got to set it up.

I took Harry my driver, our company limo, and picked her up. She brought her whole family. We went into the city and I dropped them off at Madame Tussaud's. I paid and left them on their own so they wouldn't be uncomfortable around me, so they could just enjoy time with each other. I brought them to a restaurant, right around the corner in Times Square, and did the same thing. They were so grateful for so little. It was an important dream, but something so easily assisted from volunteers and donations.

We just need to count our blessings, okay, and be happy for what we have.

I wanted to do a big Christmas party for all the children this past holiday at my girlfriend's restaurant in Little Italy. But it was nixed. They weren't sure how the children were going to be, with their treatments and their sickness.

You know, you have a child and you have a birthday party in two weeks, you know they're going to go. But with sicknesses, the families, they can't plan. With all the problems and things the families suffer with, they can't plan on parties and planned dates.

I look where I am and look at these families. Just don't take things for granted. Count your blessings. And please donate to the cause. You can go to the Emmanual Cancer Center and learn more about the cause and how you can help.

They don't ask for much. We can all do something to help.

NEXT WEEK WITH KEEPIN' IT REAL: The Case of the Missing mini-Helmet!

Kim Granatell, a second season regular on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey", will share her thoughts weekly in the "Keepin it real with Kim G" column.