Reverend Willard Parsons

Reverend Willard Parsons started the Fresh Air Fund in 1887. The Fresh Air Fund is a program where children in New York City can go to New Jersey, New York State, and Pennsylvania for a week or two in the summer. He is a hero to me and many other children in New York because he was a normal man who wanted to make a change. Before he started the program, he was a reverend at a small rural parish in Sherman, Pennsylvania. Willard Parsons was dedicated to his job and to making a difference. He was also creative because he had the idea to make lives better for children in New York City. Willard put others in front of himself too. I think Willard is a hero because he shows anyone can make a difference in the world.

Willard Parsons was creative. He had the idea to make a program helping kids in New York City. Not many people would be able to think of ways to help children like that. He started many charities so that he would have money to run the program instead of asking for donations. He even wrote for the New York Herald Tribute in 1887. He wrote so that more people would want to host children for the summer, and so people would grow awareness for the program and want to donate to the charities. Even though he wasn't an artist or a singer, I think those qualities make him creative.

Willard was dedicated too. He was dedicated to his job as a reverend. He also wouldn't stop looking for families for the children even when many people said "no". When he noticed kids were suffering he went through with his plan to help instead of keeping it as an idea. When his plan finally worked a small group of nine children went to different states. Instead of being satisfied of what he had done, he tried to raise more awareness for the program. Willard's dedication worked because since the program has started, it has helped 1.7 million children.

Willard put others in front of himself. When he saw kids were getting sick with the spread of tuberculosis, he had the kids go to the country for fresh air. That's how the program got its name. He also wanted the children to get away from the dark tenements in New York City. He wanted the kids to go away from the tenements to be able to run around or see new places. He also tried to help the children find homes to stay in outside the city during his religious ceremonies. These are some ways Willard Parsons put others in front of himself.

I have a personal connection to Willard Parsons because a girl from the Fresh Air Fund comes to stay at my house over the summer. Without Willard Parsons' idea I would have never helped out a child or made a friend. Willard helped me grow awareness to help others. Willard is my hero because he helped me help someone else. Willard's dedication, creativity, and how he put others in front of himself all came together to make an extraordinary program.