Contributed Kimberly “Kiki” Kellar
With its official debut in September of 2020, the ‘Kids Care’ program was developed to encourage kids to express through their coloring pages an uplifting message beneath their artwork that they write for a special Mat-Su senior in the Mat-Su Valley.
September is an exciting month for everyone, with some extras. Kids who turn in their coloring pages can pick out a free book from turn-A-leaf Thrift Store. They can also receive a free bookmark by showing their ‘Kids Care’ Membership Card. (Limited one per person to one coloring page per month) September 8th is International Literacy Day and this is a way we can honor the literacy endeavor for the state of Alaska as well as honor the ‘Alaska Science of Reading’s | ‘Increased Reading Increases Proficiency with their outreach to kids and parents.
Benefits of kids creating art while nurturing a charitable heart
There are many positive attributes of creating art. It’s a wonderful way to calm the mind and relax during periods of boredom. Art builds fine motor skills when kids grip on crayons, pencils, paintbrushes, etc., it increases dexterity, coordination, and focus. By encouraging writing out a message, it also enhances writing skills.
‘Kids Care’ Club
Draw, Color, Paint, etc. a picture that follows the ‘Kids Care’ month’s theme for your artwork creation. Please turn in your pictures to turn-A-leaf Thrift Store by the 15th. Your picture will hang in turn-A-leaf until the last Friday of the month. Then we will distribute your picture to a Senior Center. Each month we’ll have a new theme that we’ll post on Facebook and inside our turn-A-leaf Thrift Store.
o Kids pick up a ‘Kids Care’ Coloring Page at our turn-A-leaf Thrift Store’s cashier’s desk.
o If kids don’t yet have a membership card, they can get their official membership card at any time during business hours for free.
o Kids enter one colored page per month to ensure that we have enough giveaways for other kids to participate.
For kids who aren’t quite writing yet, Parents can help by filling out the bottom portion of the coloring page with: Child’s name, grade, the school they attend and write out the message your child would like to share with a Mat-Su Senior.
For questions, please contact Kimberly Kellar by email at: Kimberly.Kellar@valleycharities.org