Florida State and Notre Dame football squads visit with sick children prior to Thursday bowl game

By Fallan Patterson

Staff Writer

Decked out from head to toe in Florida State University garb, Abbie Grace Flohr Tuesday danced the “Cupid Shuffle” line dance and played games with the college's football players at Give Kids The World Village in Kissimmee.

Six-year-old Abbie Grace, who is afflicted with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction which doesn't allow her body to digest or eliminate food, and her family spent last week at the resort for wish children. They returned specifically for the event from their home in Tampa.

“We're huge FSU people,” mom Cheryl Flohr said, adding she and her husband, Rob Flohr, met at the Tallahassee university as freshman 25 years ago. “I think it's great they're here. This is the most amazing place.”
The resort, which grants wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses, partnered with Florida Citrus Sports for the Champs Sports Bowl Day for Kids where FSU and University of Notre Dame players, who face off Thursday for the 2011 Champs Bowl at the Citrus Bowl.
“We're just thrilled they chose us to put a smile on the kids' faces,” Lisa Bertin-Queena, Give Kids the World director of special events, said.
The close proximity of FSU and the national recognition of Notre Dame's Fighting Irish made the event a big draw for guests. Notre Dame University is in South Bend, Ind.
“It was just a natural fit,” Mitch Goldberg, vice president of operations for the resort, said. “It's organic.”
It was the first meet-and-greet event with college teams at the resort in seven years, according to Shannon Clark, chief customer officer for Florida Citrus Sports.
“They are so good to us. Who doesn't love this place?” Clark said of Give Kids the World. “I don't think they (the players) know what to expect with this event. It's usually real awkward in the beginning but at the end, you'll see players with kids on their shoulders.”
Thursday's bowl game seemed far from the coaches' and players' minds as they hula hooped, signed autographs, posed for pictures and played carnival-style games while shifting the focus onto the children who were happy to have new playmates.
For Seminoles Head Coach Jimbo Fisher, the event was a chance for his players to give back to children who may not be physically or mentally capable to play organized sports.
“The games are great but here our kids see how fortunate they really are compared to some youth,” he said, calling the players ambassadors. “To me, this is more important than the game.”
FSU linebacker Nigel Bradham, a graduating senior considered one of the team's best defensive players, said he is looking forward to Thursday's bowl game but was honored to spend time with the children.
“Anytime you have the opportunity to change somebody's life, it's great,” he said.
Cayden Riley, of St. Petersburg, and his brothers, Christopher and Cameron, met their favorite player, quarterback E.J. Manuel, who paused to take a photo with the boys.
Cayden was diagnosed with an atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor, a rare childhood cancer, at 11 months old. Now, at age 4, Cayden walks with the aid of a walker and is cancer free after finishing chemotherapy and radiation in September.
“We've just had our lives turned upside down. This is like a healing for us,” mom Chelsea Riley said, adding the family is “doing the whole tour of the (theme) parks.”
FSU defensive end Bjoern Werner was eager to pay good fortune forward during the event.
“Being from Germany, everything was so new,” he said of coming to America to attend high school in Connecticut and college in Florida. “Now it's my turn to give back.”
Fighting Irish Head Coach Brian Kelly said community service is “part of what they do” while playing for Notre Dame.
“It's a special day.” he added. “They come back and talk about how it impacts them.”
The event made an impression on Allyssa Vest, 4, who lives in a divided Jacksonville house: mom Jaime is a Seminoles fan while dad Robert cheers on the University of Florida Gators.
Allyssa, who is in remission from her blood disorder Langerhans' cell histiocytosis, walked from player to player to get autographs to show her grandfather, a life-long FSU fan.
“Peepaw is going to be very excited,” Jaime Vest said.

Football talk
Although much of the day revolved around goofing off with the visiting families and players from both teams posing together for pictures or riding the carousel, strategy for Thursday's game was still a topic for discussion for some.
Coach Fisher called Notre Dame a “great opponent” while “prestigious team” and “great athletes” came to mind for Bradham, who is finishing his final season for FSU.
“Of course we're going to make it (the game) special for them (the graduating seniors),” Werner said.
For Bradham, the final game of the season is about going out on top with goals for next season.
“We're definitely trying to get back to where we were. We want to be a dominate team,” he said. “We're trying to make the organization better.”