by Kevin Burkholder
The Facts:
It’s a fact. Children matter to Kenmore and in Kenmore. A quick scan through the many options available to children and youth in Kenmore reinforce this core community value.
The following barrage of facts should really challenge what you think about the value placed upon in our children in Kenmore. Ready? Go:
Hard working and fearless principals and teachers; volunteer tutors; several area preschools; a privately funded early learning program and facility at First Glance. Sports? You got it: top notch Kenmore Youth Football (more championship play in 2014!); also basketball, baseball, cheerleading, and softball.
Holiday events, Kenmore community days, and strong library programming all add to the many ways Kenmore invests in children and teens.
Spiritual development? Hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars poured into our community’s children each year. Moral guidance, worship, and relationships build kids up. Churches also support principals, teachers, and kids in practical ways throughout the year.
What about teens? How about a strong JROTC program at Kenmore High School, giving much needed structure and leadership to dozens of students. How about several area churches with a commitment to youth ministry? And who can count the value of dollars and hours committed through First Glance, providing programming and counseling to hundreds of teens from all walks of life?
What that really means:
What adults do in their spare time tells you a lot about a community. The bottom line? Connected to every single one of the facts listed above is a group of committed adults. These adults give time so kids can learn valuable lessons. They spend out of their pockets to make kids feel valued. We should want these types of things to be said about our community.
It’s almost impossible to go looking for help or involvement and not find it. For a community our size we should take pride in the strong foundation of support for families. Such strong support also lays the foundation for continuity and future growth. Kids aging out of programs will be more likely to give back, continuing the tradition as the values shape and form them into their adults lives.
The Challenge: Make an investment
Change your thinking about Kenmore’s kids. Go get involved and kick the complaining about our children and youth to the curb of inaction!
Imagine 1,000 adults giving an extra hour per week to invest in children and youth. What better message to send than one that shows our children how much we want them to succeed at all phases of their lives? Or if those same 1,000 adults gave $1 per week? How far could $52,000 a year go supporting great opportunities in a community like ours?
Hey Kenmore - love your kids, be thankful for the amazing amount of activity and support, and help change how this community is perceived!
No comments:
Post a Comment