Scott Wolf: Is charity work still a part of being Ambassador?

AR: Being a part of the VoluntEAR leadership council we give a lot of time and efforts as we can, especially representing the resort.

There's a lot of times when we go and do like a family volunteer day at the food bank. We'd go and help wherever there's a need. We'd help a lot with Canine Companions for Independence. We volunteer for their events. A lot of our recyclables go to help with Canine Companions. It just depends on where our manager sends us to help out and to assist.

We worked with CHOC (Children's Hospital of Orange County), we had the CHOC Walk here at Disneyland Resort as usual but then we had a mini CHOC Walk at the hospital which we brought Mickey & Minnie and were able to volunteer helping the kids out of the hospital and walk around. They had Jamba Juice set up for them and Libby Lu, all kinds of places for them to visit and get little goody bags of things.

Right by the Baby Care Center here in the park we have a Wish Lounge. it's this room that's been completely transfored into a resting room where kids can come and take a moment back from all the stimulus of the park. There's a huge flat screen TV constantly playing Disney cartoons, there's a bed and a couch. It's just a place where they can come and recoup and have a little snack or two before they head back out to the park.

We went to San Diego to assist with the fire relief victims that were there. We took Mickey and Minnie, and Goofy went one day with us, just to bring some joy to these shelters, these people that have been displaced or are waiting to go back home.

I think it was the first one, there was a man, Mr. John Bay. Mr. John Bay was older, maybe in his eighties. He had his file of paperwork and pictures with him and he was just sitting in his chair. I had brought my guitar, I play the guitar. So I brought my guitar and thought it would be fun to bring some music. Sometimes you don't have words to say and sometimes it's nice just to have music. So I brought my guitar and I was talking with him for a little bit and he was telling me about their senior home and how he doesn't know if it's going to be there when they get back, but it's okay because he has all of his stuff. He said, "I have my picture," and he showed me this beautiful black and white picture of him as a boy with his mom. Then he told me how important it is to cherish your family and give of yourself because that's what you'll be able to take with you. I said, "John, you're right." As I'm talking to him he goes in to his little accordian file and he pulls out two dollars and he said, "Adonis, I want you to give this to someone in need." I thought, "You're amazing." That's what it's all about. Being in the midst of not knowing where you are or what you have it's scary. They were in a high school gym with cots everywhere, and being elderly you have your set ways of things and your routine and if anything throws that off it can be difficult. Just in the midst of all that and just having his file he was still able to give. I felt like, "Yes! I Love you!" That was a really special moment for me.

We visited at least twelve different shelters in a matter of two or three days. I think my favorite part of that was just being able to walk in with Mickey Mouse and you have this kind of somber group and all of a sudden everything is fine. It was absolutely amazing just to be able to walk in with him and instantly everyone knew that this was joy. That was a highlight I'll never forget.

More from Adonis:
Her start as Ambassador (interview from her Ambassador year)
Ambassador memories - (interview from her Ambassador year)
Ambassador memories

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