Staff Dream Fund Winners Share Memories of Living Out Their Dreams
As Kathie Parker and Sean Stevenson discovered, dreams sometimes really do come true. Parker, communications and training coordinator with the Office of Finance, and Stevenson, a campus police officer, were winners in the 2013 Staff Dream Fund program (see photos below).
Parker's dream was to compete at the annual Sweet Adelines' International Convention in Hawaii with her chorus, the Virginia Coast Chorus, and to meet her youngest nephew, Kozunori, for the first time. It became a reality last November.
Parker's Sweet Adelines group finished in the top five among small choruses in the world, qualifying them to compete in the Harmony Classic, which is part of international contest week. But to make it to Hawaii, they had to pay their own way.
Stevenson's dream was to visit the country where he grew up, the Bahamas, and to share that heritage with his family.
As he noted last year in his Dream Fund application: "My dream corresponds with my children's expanding curiosity of the world and their awareness and discovery of our family and heritage. My dream is to travel to my birth country, the Bahamas, and reunite with my brother, father and family whom I have not seen in 16 years and whom my sons have never met. I am a first-generation immigrant, arriving in the United States at 18 years old, leaving all my family and friends behind.
"While the reunion with my immediate family is important, my late grandfather's impact in shaping the political and social structure of the Bahamas draws me home. I hope to research, discover and share this history with my wife and children."
Below, Parker and Stevenson share their memories of their dream trips from last year.
Kathie Parker:
Our big day was Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013. After a year and a half of preparation, extra rehearsals, saving money and lots of eyelash glue, it was finally show time.
The chorus put on a 13-and-a-half minute package with a speakeasy theme. Some of our chorus members were dressed as men, and from the comments we heard, they were quite convincing. The picture of my quartet, Festiva, proves just how fabulous we looked and how realistic the makeup for our 'men' was. We sang, we danced, we reacted, we acted and we had a blast. We finished third in the world, and we are proud of our performance.
As if the thrill of the Harmony Classic was not enough, I got to meet my youngest nephew, Kozunori. It was wonderful to spend time with my four nephews, my brother and my brother's lovely wife. Oh, and did I happen to mention - all this was in Hawaii. I was able to visit lovely beaches and see the Arizona Memorial firsthand. The beauty, mixed with the solemnity, is a memory I will cherish for years to come.
"Mahalo (thank you), ODU," for helping my dream come true. I am grateful for the contribution the Dream Fund made towards the expenses of this trip and the extra leave to add sweetness.
Sean Stevenson:
My trip back home to Nassau was a great family adventure. We traveled to the Bahamas last August, and I introduced my wife and two boys, Andrew and Noah, to aunts, uncles and a family they had never met before. We visited the Bahamian History Museum and walked through the Parliament building where my grandfather once held a seat for several terms.
We enjoyed traditional Bahamian meals of conch, grouper and peas and rice with my brother and family while sharing memories. My boys explored the shoreline where I fished, snorkeled and swam as a youth.
Although the Bahamas had changed drastically from when I left 30 years ago, many things remained the same - the haggling ladies at the straw market still greet the cruise ship tourists every day, and so much of the economy still relies on tourism.
Since our trip in August, several of my family members have traveled to the U.S. to visit. My Dream Fund trip has rekindled many relationships and has been a great introduction to my heritage for my wife and sons.
I want to thank the Dream Fund Committee for giving me the opportunity to share my family and history with my wife and children. It was truly a dream come true with memories I will forever cherish.