15 Minutes of Fame

Haven't you heard that everyone has fifteen minutes of fame?  Well mine came at age seven.  I became poster child for the March of Dimes.  The March of Dimes was instrumental in helping those families that were touched by the polio epidemic.  Many times they came to the aid of my parents when I had a need.  So it was only logical that I be the one to help them with their cause.  I can remember them helping me even up into my twenties when I needed a new set of crutches.
I know sometimes we wonder how it is for those children who are poster children.  Is it wonderful for them or are they exploited?  I have to say that even though I was only seven at the time, I remember it very well.  Which is amazing because I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday.  There were high points and low points during my term of hanging on a billboard and I have to say, what determined that were more the people around me and how they were treating me.  Sadly, a certain television station in our area did treat me like a piece of merchandise rather then a little child who had been thrown into the lime-light.  But one night I had the privilege of singing "Jesus Love Me" on the radio.  The people at WJBC were wonderful and treated me like a little star.  The Pantagraph, our local paper did a full story on me and my family and followed me around for a full week taking pictures at school, home and church.  They were very good to me as well.  
So for the most part it was a good experience but when my parents were confronted about letting me be the National Poster Child, it was a flat "No Thank You".  So much for my Hollywood career!! 
So the next time you see a little child on TV representing an organization such as MDA or Easter Seals, pray for that child and their family because, trust me, it can be a very joyful or traumatic situation.