Noah's Pirate Party
Birthday bash helps other children see again

For his 4th birthday, Noah Giesen asked his parents for a Pirate Party.  But instead of gifts, Noah had a different idea — one inspired by the photos he'd seen in Seva's Gifts of Service catalog.  Noah asked his party guests to contribute to Seva Foundation so that other children who wear eye patches would be able to see as well as he does.

Yarr, matey!  That's one compassionate pirate!  Here is the tale of how Noah and his merry band set sail on the high seas of Chicago, Illinois — and about the treasure to be found in a simple act of service. 

When Greta Huizenga, Noah's mom, first saw the Gifts of Service catalog, she realized that she and her husband, Mark Giesen, could use it to help their children connect with the idea of service.  "Even very young children can relate to the photos, and that's a great way to get a conversation going,"  Greta explained.  "We looked through the catalog together, and the photo of the little girl with an eye patch made him ask what was wrong.  I explained that she just had surgery, and that when the patch came off she would be able to see again.  He was very impressed with that."

One Party Leads to Another
Noah got the idea for a Gifts of Service party from his big sister, Soleil. For her 6th birthday, Greta asked Soleil if she wanted a big party with no gifts, or a small party with presents. “What if I don’t get presents from you, but I get presents for someone else? Why don’t we ask people to donate to Seva to help little girls around the world?" Soleil asked her proud parents.

As Noah planned his own party, there was a lot of conversation about pirates. “He asked us why pirates wear eye patches,” Greta said, "and we talked about pirates who may be blind or have damage in one eye. Right away he said, 'Oh, you mean like the girl that Seva helped? That’s what I want to do for my birthday!'"

Friends Joined in Service
“We told all the families that in lieu of gifts, we would be accepting donations on behalf of Seva, so that other children can take the patches off their eyes,” recalled Greta. "People really liked the idea. In fact, one mom called me on the phone, practically in tears, and said 'Thank you so much, because this has given me an opportunity to talk to my daughter about sharing with others — and my daughter’s instinct was to go get her piggy bank so she could help out too.' That's a moment every parent treasures."

Noah’s party was a great success. There was a pirate cake with a pirate boat on an island. The birthday boy wore an eye patch, and all his mates got their own pirate patches to take home. And everyone felt good to know they helped raise money that will really make a difference in someone's life.

“I think the future is in good hands with these kids," said Greta. "They're so ready to say 'Of course we'll help!' And the great thing about Seva is that they make it so easy to be of service. Even a pirate can see that!"
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If you are a pirate, a princess, or any other kind of cowboy, clown or superhero, you can make a difference in someone's life with Gifts of Service from Seva.