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The End of the Day Parade is a tradition at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Every day our mascot, Rex, leads visitors on a parade from the top floor of the museum to the exit while museum staff line the ramp waving goodbye to all of the friends we made that day. For most visitors, the parade symbolizes the close of an extraordinary day, but to one special visitor, it means something more.
Spencer Hahn is 9 years old and is a friend and advocate for the museum. While in-utero, Spencer suffered a stroke leading most doctors to believe that he would never walk, talk, or do the ordinary things that other children do. But Spencer defied the odds taking his first steps at the museum! He always ends his visit to the museum by participating in the End of the Day Parade—each one requiring Spencer to take 230 steps! On Dec. 8, one day after his 10th birthday, he will take part in his 200th End of the Day Parade.
In honor of his 200th End of the Day Parade, Spencer is raising money to help provide awareness materials and resources to children and families visiting the museum with disabilities. We sat down with Spencer and his mom, Erica.
How did the parades start?
Erica: We used to always have to be at the museum at 10 a.m. to see Rex. One morning I slept in and although we rushed we missed Rex. Spence doesn’t like change and not seeing his favorite dinosaur made him very mad. Deirdre, the museum's Concierge, intervened and said, "Well, if mom wants to stay all day he does a parade at the end of the day." And thus was born the love affair!
Why do you count them?
Erica: I use every inch of that museum to teach him and when he was about 8 parades in I started to use it as a great way to learn counting and writing numbers.
What do they mean to you?
Erica: To me they are EVERYTHING. It is really the culmination of all the small triumphs and victories over the years at the museum. The kid who was never supposed to walk, marches 230 steps down a ramp with no assistance. The kid who was never supposed to speak yells “hip hip hooray” with his favorite dino all along the parade route. The child with use of only one hand somehow finds a way to hold a handmade sign and wave a flag. All while smiling and that is the important piece for me. Therapists don’t write goals for happiness and without that smile I wouldn’t care if he could walk or talk. That smile is everything. He smiles longer and larger at his museum.
Spencer: I do parades because they make me feel happy.
What is your favorite thing to do at the museum?
Spencer: I love seeing my friends, the employees.
Why is The Children’s Museum an important place for you?
Spencer: Because I get to see people that love me and make me happy.
We hope you'll join Spencer's 200th parade! For just $23 you can donate ten pennies for every step Spencer takes in his parade. Spencer is generously donating all of the money back to the museum to help provide awareness materials and resources to children and families visiting the museum with disabilities. Donate today.
