Special to The Desert Sun

The temperature gauge said 112 degrees at the Palm Springs Surf Club on July 31 where a large red tent was set up and representatives from Variety Children's Charity of the Desert braved the heat to give a warm welcome to 20 kids and their guests.

Thanks to a generous offer from the owners of the park for an end-of-the-summer splash day, young people who had never been to a waterpark — mostly due to financial limitations — showed palpable excitement as they accepted a complimentary day pass that allowed them to splash around until 6 p.m.

On hand to greet them was Nicholas Rossi, Variety's senior development manager, along with several volunteers.

One mother I spoke to, Maria Flores, attended with her daughter Haley Marie. Neither had been to a waterpark, and s

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