Two area teens organize walk to help young Shriners patients

Austin Keillor and Iliana Arevalo, both 13, went on a shopping spree for two days after Christmas, spending more than $500. They bought games, toys, magic tricks and the kind of makeup kits teenage girls covet.

Typical teenagers? Not quite.

The money came from a pledge walk the two organized to benefit children being cared for at Shriners Hospital for Children in St. Louis. The Shriners operate 22 hospitals, providing free treatment for children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lips and palates.

Iliana, born with hip dysplasia, is recovering from her second major surgery at the Shriners hospital. After receiving a post-surgical pillow as a gift from the hospital, Iliana began making and donating pillows to other patients.

She met Austin last year at Cape Bible Chapel during a Bible study program. Over the last several months they have become best friends. When the time came for her second surgery, Austin loaned his iPod and other digital devices to Iliana for her hospital stay, to help ease her boredom between doctor and family visits.

Each time she has stayed at the Shriners hospital, she's met other children who'd arrived earlier and stayed long after she'd been discharged.

Brainstorming an idea

Austin accompanied Iliana and her parents to the hospital. During the eight hours she was in the operating room and recovering, he brainstormed with Deanna and Santiago Arevalo for an idea to help the young patients, until the pledge walk idea was born.

Iliana and Austin each wear a necklace: a small chain with a small metal disc. One side is stamped with an instrument -- drums for him, guitar for her -- and the reverse is inscribed with a Bible verse, Philippians 4:13: "I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me."

That is what the gift drive is about, Iliana said.

The two teenagers did all of the planning for the project, determining the walk would take place at a Jackson park Dec. 6, making signs to post at Austin's school, Jackson Junior High, creating a pledge form and soliciting donations from family members, neighbors and members of their church. Austin even convinced one of his teachers to donate. She promised $5 for every mile he walked.

Deanna Arevalo added three elements. She agreed to handle the money, at the request of Austin's principal; she sent out an e-mail to her friends telling them about the project, and she made hot chocolate on the day of the walk.

Going the distance

On Dec. 6, only a handful of people arrived at the park for the pledge walk. Iliana, who even now is using a crutch, could only walk a quarter-mile. Austin walked one mile, then two, then kept on going after two other friends decided they were too cold and too tired to keep going. He completed 12 miles, after taking a lunch break because he felt sick from not eating.

"When my teacher found out how long I walked, she was really surprised," he said.

Iliana didn't ask for any Christmas gifts this year "because I didn't need anything," she said.

On Christmas, Iliana got an iPod, not as a reward, her mother said, but because, "at a time when everything at Christmas is 'I want, I want, I want,' here are two kids who just have a heart for giving."

Iliana and Austin said they learned a lot from the experience.

"I learned that you have to look at the prices a lot," she said.

"I learned I can go a long way," Austin said. "Money can go a long way, too."

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

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