Community Works Together To Brighten Holidays

Holidays can be especially rough on kids and families who have lost a loved one, but thanks to collaborative efforts by two community establishments, more than 75 kids and adults of all ages from Rockland and Bergen counties joined together for a fun night of bouncing in huge inflatables and riding a thrilling virtual rollercoaster.

To an outsider, it might be unusual to see high-school students choose to hang out with middle-school students and even kids as young as 4. But at Hearts & Crafts Grief Counseling's annual Holiday Gathering on December 16, held at Screamin' Parties in West Nyack, more than 75 kids and adults of all ages from Rockland and Bergen counties—all of whom have suffered the loss of a loved one—joined together for a night of sliding down huge inflatables, tumbling through obstacle courses, and riding a thrill-inducing virtual rollercoaster.

Howard Abraham and Teddy Glytsea, co-partners of Screamin' Parties, donated their 10,000-square-foot facility to the nonprofit that provides families living with illness and loss with a safe, caring environment to help them work through their healing process.

"I lost my dad when I was young. I know how difficult it is to navigate through life missing a parent," says Abraham, who also co-owns Inflatable Party Adventures with Glystea. "Thank goodness there is an organization like Hearts & Crafts to help these kids and families out."