By RODNEY HO
A few years ago, while working as a sidekick to Dallas Top 40 DJ Kidd Kraddock, Bert Weiss watched dozens of terminally ill children laugh and frolic at Disney World for a weekend, courtesy of Kraddock’s charity group.
Weiss, now host of the Bert Show on Q100, promised himself that once he had his own morning radio show, he’d do the same. Weiss and his wife Stacey started a nonprofit organization called Bert’s Big Adventure, which works like the Make-a-Wish Foundation and Children’s Wish Foundation.
After sifting through 35 applicants, Bert’s Big Adventure will take six critically or terminally ill children and 19 family members to Disney World this weekend. The Weisses selected the children, who are ages 5-11, partly on financial need.
The organization has raised $40,000, for the children, $7,000 of which came from the Weisses, as well as gifts such as Walkmans and plush Mickey and Minnie Mouse toys. The Atlanta Hawks donated its team plane for the trip, leaving the organization money to jump-start next year’s Disney weekend.
Q100 will introduce the families on the air Friday morning before jetting to Orlando. “I’m excited,” said Atrailyus Beckham, 11, from Thomaston, who has leukemia. “I can’t wait to ride the rides and meet Mickey and Minnie.”
[From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 3/5/03]