Schalmont student named Sibling Star
Shaeli Gravell gifted room makeover, trip to American Dream
ROTTERDAM — Shaeli Gravell thought she would be prepping for an upcoming concert during Wednesday’s chorus class at Schalmont Middle School. That was until she walked into the classroom.
At the front of the room were several community members and representatives from the Bus Stop Club, who were there to surprise Shaeli with the organization’s Sibling Star Award that included a complete bedroom makeover from Old Brick Furniture and a family bus trip to American Dream in New Jersey, courtesy of Yankee Trails.
The Sibling Star Award was created by the Bus Stop Club, a local nonprofit that supports siblings of children diagnosed with critical illness or developmental, physical or mental disabilities. The award aims to recognize their strength and selflessness with a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“She’s so kind and puts everybody before herself,” says Angela Tobin, executive director of the Bus Stop Club. “She’s our go-to person at the club whenever we have a new member.”
While surrounded by classmates, the stunned, teary-eyed 8th grader was shown a video of her bedroom, completely transformed earlier in the day by representatives from Old Brick Furniture who provided the Sibling Star awardee with a new twin bed frame and mattress, a reading chair, a vanity, a dresser, and artwork for her purple walls.
“I have a nightstand,” she gasped while receiving congratulatory side hugs from friends.
Founded in 2005 by Dr. Brian Sheridan, a third-year pediatric resident at the Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center, the Bus Stop Club provides encouragement, support and tools to help siblings remain emotionally healthy in order to cope with their family’s hardships. The organization hosts a number of workshops and fun events, like art classes, ice
skating, bowling outings and holiday parties for children ages 5 to 15. Programs are run through several local YMCAS, Siena College and other community centers.
“I’ve been coming to the Bus Stop Club for a long time,” says Shaeli. “I used to drop my sisters
off there and be jealous that I couldn’t come because it looked so fun and then when I turned 5, I was able to start coming and I’ve been going ever since.”
Shaeli’s older sister, Rheana, has been living with primary immunodeficiency, a lifelong chronic condition where a part of the body’s immune system is missing or does not function correctly. Almost immediately
after mom Erikka Gravell gave birth to Shaeli, she began towing the infant along to a treatment facility in Philadelphia every three weeks for six years for Rheana’s medical needs.
“She’s always been the one kind of in tow,” says Erikka, who welcomed nearly a dozen people into her home earlier in the day for the whirlwind makeover. “There is no way in the world she is not going to love everything.”
In addition to the new, teenfriendly hangout, Shaeli will also travel with three friends of family members to American Dream, a large retail and entertainment complex in New Jersey that features an indoor waterpark, miniature golf and more. Shaeli is very familiar with the destination. She and her family pass by it every time they head into Philadelphia.
“We would always pass by it and it looks really cool,” Shaeli says with a big grin. “I’m excited I get to go.”
Lucky for her, chorus was the last class of the day as an anxious Shaeli who couldn’t wait to see her new space in person.
“I love it so much,” beamed Shaeli after seeing the transformation on screen. “I’ve been wanting a room makeover forever.”