Lucy's Kids for Peace
a chapter of Kids for Peace
ACTION
LOVE
Uplifting our world through and !
We create peace through youth leadership, community service,
global friendships, and thoughtful acts of kindness.
Past Projects and Events
Click on event slideshows for more pictures!
Around The World Birthday Party - April 2012
This month we flew around the world to learn how kids in other cultures celebrate their birthdays as part of our Around The World Birthday Party! We visited seven countries (the U.S., Brazil, Israel, Russia, China, Denmark, and India) and in each country, we learned how to say "Happy Birthday," saw pictures of what kids in that country might look like, and learned about how they celebrate their birthdays. We also played games, made crafts, and ate foods that the kids in these countries might have for their birthday celebrations! We even got our passports stamped as we flew from one country to the next!
Thank you to Olathe Wesleyan Church for letting us use their gym for our event!
Lucy's Legacy Day - June 2012
We mark Lucy's birthday (June 8) each year by doing random acts of kindness. Many people help us honor her on this day by doing their own acts of kindness and handing out Lucy's Legacy cards (click here to print a sheet for yourself!) encouraging others to spread kindness. This year our neighborhood kids set up a free pizza, cookies, and lemonade stand!
Thank you to EVERYONE who participated by spreading kindness in honor of Lucy on her 3rd birthday!
Shawnee City Council Meeting - June 2012
This month we went to a Shawnee City Council meeting and presented the Peace Pledge to the mayor and city council! The kids were also able step up to the podium and tell our leaders what they are thankful for in their community.
Thank you to Mayor Myers and the Shawnee City Council for letting us present our Peace Pledge to you!
KC Command Game - July 2012
We were very fortunate to be the recipients of a $2,500 donation from the Likens Family and the Kansas City Command! We were at mid-field during halftime while a video of the kids saying the Peace Pledge was shown on the big screen and the kids then got to receive a giant check!
Thank you to the Likens family and the KC Command for their incredibly generous donation that will be used to fund MANY projects and to Brian Doll for shooting and editing our Peace Pledge video!
I PLEDGE Documentary Viewing - July 2012
We gathered at the Weber's house to watch a documentary called I Pledge, created by and featuring Kids for Peace teens and kids from California. Super inspiring!
Thank you to the Webers for opening up your home for us to turn into a popcorn mess!
The Great Kindness Challenge - August 2012
The Great Kindness Challenge is a Kids for Peace initiative and is an annual day devoted to performing as many acts of kindness as possible.
We were blessed with a donation of 100 cases of bottled water from Cosentino's and 50 families joined us to distribute 2,400 bottles of water throughout the city! On the day of the event, we set up a "command post" at Listowel Park. Folks stopped by and enjoyed doughnuts, coffee, and juice while the kids made hearts with happy messages on them to stick on windshields as they were out and about handing out water. They loaded up their two cases of water and then went to a location of their choosing to hand it out. People went to ball fields, downtown areas, parks and playgrounds, gas stations, shopping areas, trails, and more! Along with the water, each recipient also received a post card and sticker telling them about The Great Kindness Challenge and encouraging them to pass along the kindness!
Thank you to Cosentino's for donating 100 cases of water, Krispy Kreme for donating doughnuts, Starbucks for donating coffee and pastries, Barber Financial Group for donating the printing of the postcards and stickers, NBC Action News for helping us promote the event, The Shawnee Dispatch for running an article about our efforts, and EVERYONE who showed up to help us make this event a success!
Kids for Peace Leaders' Training - August 2012
Jill and Bev were able to join Kids for Peace leaders from all over the country (and even Kenya!) in Carlsbad, CA, the birthplace of Kids for Peace, for a weekend of learning, sharing sharing ideas, and lots of fun times Kids for Peace style!
Thank you to Jill McManigal for the hospitality, to everyone who helped plan and execute the weekend, and to all of our new friends for the inspiration and ideas!
Meeting - October 2012
This month our focus was the first line of our Peace Pledge: I pledge to use my words to speak in a kind way. We read a book and played a game on this topic and the kids then made some very cool peace ornaments to give to guests at our upcoming Fall Fling fundraiser.
Thank you to our Peace Helpers who did a great job helping the little kids make their ornaments!
Fall Fling Fundraiser - November 2012
Our first Fall Fling was a success! The idea was basically one big home party with more than 15 vendors, food and drinks, a great raffle, and even a sushi chef making fresh sushi! Each vendor donated raffle prizes as well as a portion of their proceeds to Lucy's Kids for Peace.
Thank you to Jodi & Rob Patrick for opening your home for this event!! Thank you to all of the vendors who participated and to everyone who came and supported us!
Newhouse Book Drive Project - December 2012
This was one of our most incredible events! For a month, our kids collected new and gently-used books, games, puzzles, and small toys from friends, neighbors, church groups, and their parents' co-workers. One group did a preesntation for the staff at a downtown law firm and left with two mailroom carts full of books! On a Sunday afternoon we traveled to Newhouse, a shelter for abused women and their children, and completely transformed their children's area with all of the books, a giant colorful ABC rug, three comfy bean bag chairs, a cute lamp, and some educational posters for the walls. We even took donughts and shared a snack, played some games, and read some books with the kids there. It was amazing to see what the kids were able to accomplish!
Thank you to Newhouse for allowing us to do this project with you, to Mat Larsen for helping coordinate, and to Erich and Kelly Ranz for the incredibly generous donation toward this project!
Books to Children's Mercy Hospital - December 2012
The kids did such an AWESOME job collecting books for our Newhouse project that we had a TRUCKLOAD more to donate to Children's Mercy Hospital! We delivered them just in time for the holidays!
Thank you to Children's Mercy for allowing us to spread some cheer to the kids and famiies spending the Christmas holiday there.
Meeting - January 2013
This month our theme was "I plegde to join together as we unite the big and small." We read a book and learned about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., did an activity to understand how people feel when they are discriminated against, talked about what we like to do with our grandparents or other seniors, learned a couple new songs, and made some cute Valentines to hand out when we visit a nursing home next month.
Thank you to Holy Trinity for once again letting us use the school library for our meeting!
Nursing Home Visit - February 2013
This month we visited Shawnee Heartland Assisted Living. We were able to play one of the residents' favorite games with them and tell them our Peace Pledge. We also went around and hung homemade Valentine's on each resident's doorknob!
Thank you to the residents and staff at Shawnee Heartland for allowing us to spend some time with you!
Meeting - March 2013
This month we met to learn about the life cycles of butterflies and what we can do to help their population in spite of their declining nectar sources. Leslie from Monarch Watch in Lawrence (some of the country's leading experts on Monarchs!) came to speak to us and she even brough along real butterfies that we were able to hold and touch! We also made some cool growing caterpillars by filling nylons with potting soil and grass seed and adding rubber bands and googly eyes. When we took them home and watered them, they grew into fuzzy caterpillars!
Thank you to Leslie and Monarch Watch for coming to speak to us and to Holy Trinity for letting us use the school library for our meeting! (Click here to visit Monarch Watch's website.)
ArtRageous Creative Studio - April 2013
This month we took a field trip to see Miss Julie at ArtRageous Creative Studio! Our theme was "I pledge to care for our earth with my healing heart and hands" so Miss Julie led the kids in a project making sculptures out of recycled materials. She also helped the kids collaborate to make a stepping stone that will go in our butterfly garden. The kids loved their visit!
Thank you to Julie Flanagan and her ArtRageous Creative Studio for letting us visit and for a GREAT time! (Click here to visit the ArtRageous website.)
Butterfly garden planting - May 2013
Butterfly garden planting - May 2013
Butterfly Garden Planting - May 2013
This month we planted our butterfly garden at The Goddard School in western Shawnee, which is where Lilli W. goes to school. They had a great space ready for us and the kids got down and dirty planting the plants, which were purchased at Monarch Watch's annual spring plant sale in Lawrence. They even gave us a live caterpillar so our garden would have an immediate resident!
After the planting we went for Pizza at The Pizza Shoppe.
Thank you to The Goddard School for being a part of this project!
Lucy's Legacy Day - June 2013
We mark Lucy's birthday (June 8) each year by doing random acts of kindness. Many people help us honor her on this day by doing their own acts of kindness and handing out Lucy's Legacy cards (click here to print a sheet for yourself!) encouraging others to spread kindness. This year a group of kids set up a free sno cone stand complete with cookies and candy!
Thank you to EVERYONE who participated by spreading kindness in honor of Lucy on her 4th birthday!
Peace Packs - June 2013
This month we completed our annual Peace Pack project. Peace Packs are drawstring backpacks that the kids paint their handprints on while making a wish for the recipient. They are then filled with school supplies, small toys, a photo of the child who made and filled the bag, and a note of friendship. This year we made FIFTY Peace Packs. 25 were sent with a group from Holy Trinity to kids in San Lucas, Guatemala, and 25 were donated locally to kids at Rose Brooks, a shelter for abused women and their children.
Thank you to all of the LKFP families who participated and/or contributed supplies for the Peace Packs, to Anabella and Scott Wasserman and the HT group who delivered the Peace Packs to Guatemala, and to Rose Brooks for receiving our local donation!
Promoting The Great Kindness Challenge on
Kansas City Live - August 2013
On August 1, six Lucy's Kids for Peace members got a prime spot on Kansas City Live, NBC Action News' Mid-Day show! The kids presented the Peace Pledge and then Bev and Jill gave more details about The Great Kindness Challenge!
Thank you to NBC Action News for helping us promote Lucy's Kids for Peace and the Great Kindness Challenge!
The Great Kindness Challenge - August 2013
The Great Kindness Challenge is a Kids for Peace initiative and is an annual day devoted to performing as many acts of kindness as possible.
For the second year in a row, we were blessed with a donation of 100 cases of bottled water from Cosentino's which we diestrbuted to people all around our community! On the day of the event, we set up a "command post" at Listowel Park. Folks stopped by and enjoyed doughnuts, coffee, and juice and they loaded up their two cases of water and then went to a location of their choosing to hand it out. People went to ball fields, downtown areas, parks and playgrounds, gas stations, shopping areas, trails, and more! Along with the water, each recipient also received a post card and sticker telling them about The Great Kindness Challenge and encouraging them to pass along the kindness!
Thank you to Cosentino's for donating 100 cases of water, Krispy Kreme for donating doughnuts, Starbucks for donating coffee and pastries, Barber Financial Group for donating the printing of the postcards and stickers, NBC Action News for helping us promote the event, and EVERYONE who showed up to help us make this event a success!
International Fair - August 2013
In August we hosted a Kids for Peace International Fair to go along with the part of the Peace Pledge that says "I pledge to respect people in each and every land." Each family chose a country with special significance to them and prepared a presentation for the group including things like foods, games, crafts, songs and dances, traditions and customs, pictures, native dress, and even real, live VISITORS native to their country! The kids got their passports stamed as they visited each country, including Korea, Kenya, Israel, Germany, The Netherlands, Egypt, Ethiopia, China, the South Pacific Islands of Fiji, Tonga, and Niue.
The kids did a tremendous job preparing and presenting to the group and it was a great learning experience for everyone - adults included!
Thank you to our visitors that came to be part of our event including Billy, Oma and Opa, and Cayden!
New York City Peace Pledge Tour - September 2013
On September 14-18, over 50 Kids for Peace kids, parents and chapter leaders met in The Big Apple to promote our message of peace and kindness, perform service, meet new friends, learn peace building skills, and blanket the city with love! Our Lucy's Kids for Peace chapter was well-represented with a group of nine including 5 kids (Jackie, Tatitna, Lily, Luke, Grace, and Lilli) and 4 adults.
Here were some of the trip highlights:
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Doing a Peace Pledge Rally in Central Park
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Appearling on the Today show
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Spending time with Emmy Award nominated actor Giancarlo Esposito (from Breaking Bad) in Central Park and hearing his words of wisdom and inspiration he shared with us
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Presenting the Peace Pledge on the stage at the annual Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy
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Visiting the Statue of Liberty and presenting the Peace Pledge at her base
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Visiting the 911 Memorial and quietly presenting the Peace Pledge
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Lighting candles at St. Patrick's Cathedral
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Presenting the Peace Pledge on the ice at the Devils vs. Rangers hockey game
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Visiting the Activist Exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York
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Observing a moment of silence for peace at Strawberry Fields
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Listening to a presentation put on for our group by staff at The United Fund for UNICEF and learning more about their work around the world
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Making and handing out sack lunches to the homeless in and around Washington Square Park
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Making and handing out Peace Packs to homeless around the city
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Visiting the United Nations during Peace Week and presenting the Peace Pledge
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Handing out hearts across the city and making people smile as part of the A PEACE OF MY HEART project
Thank you to Kids for Peace for organizing this amazing experience and to all of those in New York that helped us in any way! Thank you to The Rub (www.therubbbq.com) and Mr. Goodcents for helping us raise money for the trip by hosting restaurant night fundraisers for us and to all who came out and supported these fundraisers.
Check out our presentation in
Little Italy's San Genarro Fetival!
Brainstorming Meeting - October 2013
In October we gathered to plan out our whole year based upon the kids' ideas on what projects they'd like to do. We brainstormed in small groups and then as a whole and mapped out our monthly projects through October of 2014.
Thank you to all of our RETURNING and our NEW members! We are so excited to kick off ur year and are so excited about all of the great ideas you came up with!!
Thanksgiving Meal Project - November 2013
For our November project, we collected food in order to be able to put together complete Thanksgiving meals for six local famiiles that needed a little bit of support over the Thanksgiving holiday. Each family received mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, corn, carrots, green bean casserole ingredients, cornbread mix, chicken stock, noodles, cranberries, fruit, jello, stuffing, dessert mix, hot cocoa, plates, cups, napkins, a roasting pan, and a turkey! During our meeting, the kids participated in an exercise where they divided into two teams and each team was given a certain amount of money with which to buy food for Thanksgiving dinner. One team was able to buy significantly more, and we discussed how each team felt about the situation. Not surprisingly, the team with more wanted to share with those who didn't have as much. The kids also competed in a team building exercise to see which group could work together to build the tallest structure with certain materials. They also decorated placemats that will be laminated and given to seniors receiving meals through Meals on Wheels, wrote out holiday cards to be sent to overseas military men and women, and made ornaments that will be used for our December project. They were busy, Busy, BUSY! Following the meeting, several families had the pleasure of personally delivering the meals we'd put together. It was very meaningful for the kids to see who was benefiting from their kindness!
THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to our Thanksgiving project!! We are thankful for your generosity! Thank you to Holy Trinity for the use of the school library for our meeting and to Phoenix Family, Benninghoven Elementary, and Holy Trinity for helping us locate six deserving families for our meals!
Phoenix Family Bedtime Project - December 2013
For our December project, we teamed up with Phoenix Family, a local organization that empowers people living in low-income housing communities with the on-site support they need to gain stability and achieve self-sufficiency. The Phoenix Family staff helped us identify 35 children and their ages and interests. Through a very generous donation, Lucy's Kids for Peace was able to purchase warm new PJs and fleece blankets for each of the children. Kids for Peace kids along with a few friends and guests then selected children from the list and picked out gifts such as games, toys, puzzles, books, etc. to give to their new friend. On December 8, 60 kids gathered in their together at one of the residential sites Phoenix Family serves. The kids received and enjoyed games, books, activities, puzzles, face painting, and more!
THANK YOU to Erich and Kelly Ranz for their incredibly generous support of this project! Erich and Kelly helped us purchase the PJs and blankets for the children. Thank you to the staff and the children for welcoming us and allowing us to spend time with you! (Click here to visit the Phoenix Family website to learn more about this fantastic local organization helping so many Kansas City area families!)
Christmas Caroling at Lakeview Village - December 2013
On a cold December night, we showed up at Lakeview Village in Lenexa to spread cheer and warm the hearts of some of the residents. The seniors absolutely loved seeing the kids and hearing them sing their songs. The kids also handed out candy canes and peace Christmas ornaments. The smiles on the faces of the residents AND the kids were priceless!
Here is what some of the kids had to say:
Luke H.: "I felt happy to see the people smiling!"
Lily H.: "I loved singing with all our friends!"
Lilli W.: "I loved to sing the people songs."
Aron P.: (Aron gave me a big smile and thumbs-up as we finished.)
THANK YOU to Lakeview Village for allowing us to come and to all of the residents who were so kind and appreciative of the kids!
Peace Pavillion Visit - January 2014
In January we took a much-anticipated trip to Independence, MO to visit the Children's Peace Pavilion, an interactive, hands-on children's museum dedicated to teaching concepts of peace through creative, fun, child-centered learning activities. Every element in the museum is designed to empower children to incorporate peacemaking skills into their everyday lives. The kids spent time in different activity stations and had the opportunity to practice reading emotions, communicate and give directions, make art and music, work together, learn positive ways to resolve conflicts, learn about the lives of children in other countries, sharpen their recycling skills, and much more! If you have never visited the Children's Peace Pavilion, please consider doing so! It is a little hidden treasure right here in our city! Click here for more info.
THANK YOU to The Peace Pavillion and all of their staff and volunteers for hosting us! We are so excited to partner with you on a future project toward peace!
Military Care Package - February 2014
In February we collaborated to put together a care package to be sent to some of our Air Force men and women stationed overseas in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. We were able to send the package specifically to the brother of a friend, and here is the note he sent back to us:
Jill, Lily, and Friends! Thank you! We received your package today and it was such a special treat and one that we all certainly appreciate. As I look at my guys I see soldiers enjoying twizzlers, chewing on gum, and we are all enjoying this delicious coffee as I type! I have never heard of, nor had The Roasterie coffee before, which I am a bit ashamed to admit, having lived in Lenexa so many years ago. But we all have full cups of Dark Mojo Blend right now and are excited to drink through all of the different blends! You all were certainly most generous in sending the coffee and I promise it will be absolutely savored! Even my British guy can't get enough! Thank you again.
I also want to take a second and say thank you for all you and your organization are doing for peace! What a blessing Lucy must be to all of you and all she has helped on this earth! Keep up the great work and please let me know if there is anything I can do to help support such a fantastic cause! Lily, thank you very much for your sweet letter, I am going to hang it in our "hooch" what we call our living quarters on this side! Your mom must be very proud of the fantastic work you are doing in the name of peace! Thank you all again for your wonderful care package!
God Bless,
Dave
In addition, David is arranging for an American flag to be flown on an official mission and sent to Lucy's Kids for Peace for our great work towards Peace! How awesome?!?!
THANK YOU to David and ALL of the men and women serving in our military AND their families who are sacrificing so much to protect the freedoms we often take for granted!
Pictures coming soon!
Presentation @ Sprint Center about Pet Supply Drive - April 2014
The kids got a chance to hone their presentation skills when they traveled downtown and told the staff of the Sprint Center about their upcoming April project with Unleashed Pet Rescue & Adoption. They each had speaking parts and did a great job. They left with a bag full of donations and celebrated with donuts at Krispy Kreme!
THANK YOU to the staff of Sprint Center for taking time out of your day to listen to the kids' presentation and for your generosity toward our project!
Pet Project Collections at Dobbels Hardwars & PetsMart - April 2014
Today we were able to partner with Dobbels Hardware and PetsMart to collect supplies for our April project from their customers. Dobbels was holding a birthday party for their resident Golden Retriever, Harley. The kids greeted customers, told them about our project, showed them Unleashed's "wish list," and directed them toward the aisles where they could find some of the items. We left with LOTS of donations from both places!
THANK YOU to the Dobbels Hardware for letting us be a part of Harley's Birthday Party and to PetsMart in Merriam for allowing us to be in your store and collect donations for Unleashed.
Visit to Unleashed Pet Rescue & Adoption - April 2014
Today we visited Unleashed, where we were able to stuff Kongs with Peanut Butter for dog treats, tour the shelter, and meet some of the 4-legged (temporary) residents. Best of all, we dropped off LOTS of donations that we'd collected as well as a check for $535 AND presented the staff with a new XL raised dog bed! What a successful project this was!
THANK YOU to Unleashed for all you do to help find homes for these sweet animals!!
Lenexa Community Gardens - May 2014
This month's focus is caring for our earth, so we met in Sar Ko Par Park and were able to tour the Lenexa Community Gardens with Jennife Doty of the Lenexa Parks & Rec Dept. She explained the various ways the gardeners plant and irrigate, what fruits and vegetables are grown, what the gardeners do with their produce (some is donated to Harvesters Food Pantry), and talked about composting. We also painted wooden birdhouses to be given as gifts.
THANK YOU to Jennifer for taking the time to be with us today and to all of the Lenexa Community Gardeners for caring for our earth by growing such fabulous produce!
Pledge of Allegiance at Sprint Center - June 2014
Lucy's Kids for Peace was presented with the opportunity to lead the Pledge of Allegiance for the 2016 Repiblican National Convention's Site Selection Committee during their visit to Kansas City. It was an opportunity to practice professionalism and public speaking and the kids did a wonderful job being in the spotlight and on the big screen at Sprint Center! Of course they were rewarded with donuts and juice in their green room while they waited to go on!
THANK YOU to the staff at Sprint Center for giving us the opportunity to be a part of your presentation!
Peace Pack & Blessing Bag Assembly - June 2014
This month we completed our annual Peace Pack project. Peace Packs are drawstring backpacks that the kids paint their handprints on while making a wish for the recipient. They are then filled with school supplies, small toys, a photo of the child who made and filled the bag, and a note of friendship. This year we made FIFTY Peace Packs. 25 were sent with a group from Holy Trinity to kids in San Lucas, Guatemala, and 25 were donated locally to kids at SafeHome, a shelter for abused women and their children. In addition, the kids decided that they would also like to make Blessing Bags. These are gallon-sized ziplocks which are filled with toiletries, personal hygiene items, first aid supplies, snacks, and comfort items. They are intended for homeless men and women. Through the generous support of MANY individuals as well as employees at Perceptive Software, we were able to put together SEVENTY Blessing Bags! We were even on the local NBC news the night of our assembly!
THANK YOU to the many people who donated supplies to these projects - they truly could not have happened without so many generous people! Thank you to Perceptive Software for doing a donation drive in your offices, to Mark Clegg and NBC Action News for covering our project, and to Melissa Treolo at the Shawnee Dispatch for the great article and FRONT PAGE coverage in the Dispatch!
Peace Packs Arriving in Guatemala - July 2014
We are blessed to have a group from Holy Trinity hand-deliver our Peace Packs to children in Guatemala each year. They are able to take photos of the children holding the pictures of the LKFP kid who packed their bag, so it really helps the kids understand who is receiving their bags and is so neat to see that they've reached their destination so far away!
THANK YOU to Anabella Wasserman and the entire Holy Trinity group for lovingly hand-delivering our Peace Packs to Guatemala!
Reconciliation Services - July 2014
This month we traveled downtown to Reconciliation Services to help serve a meal to homeless men and women in the city. Reconciliation Services also facilitated the distribution of the Blessing Bags that we assembled in June. The bags contained toiletries, first aid items, snacks, socks, water, and more items useful to this population.
THANK YOU to Reconciliation Servies for allowing us to help with your Friday night meal and to Dayna Meyers for helping facilitate this project!
The Great Kindness Challenge - August 2014
The Great Kindness Challenge, an annual event created by Kids for Peace Global, is a day devoted to performing as many acts of kindness as possible. For the 3rd consecutive year, Lucy's Kids for Peace solicited help from friends, family, and neighbors to distribute 2,400 bottles of water to people all over the city! Fifty families took part by stopping by our command post at Listowel Park, picking up two cases of water, and spreading out across the city to distribute it to walkers, runners, bikers, construction workers, shoppers, firemen, and thirsy people all over! It's such an easy and fun way to spread kindness all over our city! We are grateful for the support of Cosentino's Price Chopper, Barber Financial, Starbucks, and Krispy Kreme. We also want to thank all of you who took part in this day of kindness, whether with us or from afar! KINDNESS MATTERS!
Thank you to Cosentino's for donating 100 cases of water, Krispy Kreme for donating doughnuts, Starbucks for donating coffee and pastries, Barber Financial Group for donating the printing of the postcards and stickers, and EVERYONE who showed up to help us make this event a success!
The Great Kindness Challenge: AWL Edition - August 2014
Lucy's Kids for Peace thanks the Association for Women Lawyers for putting together their own Great Kindness Challenge on Apugust 22! AWL members pledged to perform acts of kindness on this day and share their experiences on social media. Hundreds of pledges were made and AWL members went about spreading kindness to those around them. There was even some air-time on a local radio station about Lucy, Lucy's Kids for Peace, and the Great Kindness Challenge as a result of their efforts!
THANK YOU to the Association for Women Lawyers for celebrating this day and for spreading kindness!
Grandparents' Day at the Arboretum - September 2014
September brought Lucy's Kids for Peace the chance to help with the Grandparents' Day celebration at the beautiful Overland Park Arboretum. We acted as guides to get guests to the free concerts, handed out cookies and paper fans (which featured the Team Lucy Goose logo), and gave a presentation between the concerts.
Thank you to the OP Arboretum and Barb & Bill Patterson for inviting us to be a part of this event!
International Fair - September 2014
In September we hosted our 2nd annual Kids for Peace International Fair to go along with the part of the Peace Pledge that says "I pledge to respect people in each and every land." Each family chose a country with special significance to them and prepared a presentation for the group including things like games, crafts, songs and dances, traditions and customs, pictures, native dress, and more. Each family also brough an ethnc food for their respective country and we were able to have an international food fest after the presentations. The kids collected beads for each country for their Peace Pins.
The kids did a tremendous job preparing and presenting to the group and it was a great learning experience for everyone - adults included!
Thank you to all the kids who participated in the International Fair and to the parents who spent the time helping them with their research, presentations, and foods!
Lenexa Chili Challenge - October 2014
We were invited to be a part of the Lenexa Chili Challenge by staffing a beverage booth. Many of our kids and parents also brought along home-made treats and the kids took donations for those and drinks. It was a great opportunity for them to talk to people about the projects we do in Kids for Peace and proved to be a tremendous fundraiser for us!
Thank you to Tony Lux and the guys of the Mo Dangie Chili Team for allowing us to be a part of your booth!
Thanksgiving Meal Project - November 2014
For our November project, we collected food in order to be able to put together complete Thanksgiving meals for ten local famiiles that needed a little bit of support over the Thanksgiving holiday. Each family received mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, corn, carrots, green bean casserole ingredients, cornbread mix, chicken stock, noodles, cranberries, fruit, jello, stuffing, dessert mix, hot cocoa, plates, cups, napkins, a roasting pan, a turkey, and more! During our meeting, the kids participated in an exercise where they divided into two teams and each team was given a certain amount of money with which to buy food for Thanksgiving dinner. One team was able to buy significantly more, and we discussed how each team felt about the situation. Not surprisingly, the team with more wanted to share with those who didn't have as much. The kids also competed in a team building exercise to see which group could work together to build the tallest structure with certain materials. They also decorated placemats that will be laminated and given to seniors receiving meals through Meals on Wheels, wrote out holiday cards to be sent to overseas military men and women, and made ornaments that will be used for our December project. They were busy, Busy, BUSY! Following the meeting, several families had the pleasure of personally delivering the meals we'd put together. It was very meaningful for the kids to see who was benefiting from their kindness!
THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to our Thanksgiving project!! We are thankful for your generosity! Thank you to Holy Trinity for the use of the school library for our meeting and to all those who helped us identify ten families to receive our meals.
Craft Day with NHA - December 2014
We were presented with a tremendous opportunity to join forces with a group of employees from National Healthcareer Associates who were convening in Kansas City in December for meetings, and who wanted to engage in a volunteer project as part of their time together. On December 9, we met the NHA employees in their meeting space in a Plaza hotel and got busy preparing for our two December projects: the Bedtime Project and Christmas caroling. After the kids did a quick presentation about Lucys' Kids for Peace, we spent two action-packed hours making ornaments to hand out while Christmas caroling; wrapping books; decorating pillowcases; packaging up socks, toothbrushes, and toothpaste; practiging a few songs; and eating a little pizza to get us through our work! We offer up an incredible amount of thanks to the wonderful NHA employees we had the pleasure of meeting and working with! They supported these projects in a variety of ways and enabled us to GIVE so much more during the holidays!
THANK YOU to the wonderful NHA employees who so graciously spent an evening with us and who were so enthusiastic about the great work the kids are doing! We are extremely grateful for your tremendous support of our Bedtime Project and for the opportunity to work with you during the holiday season to spread kindness to others throughout our community!
Phoenix Family Bedtime Project - December 2014
For our December project, we once again teamed up with Phoenix Family, a local organization that empowers people living in low-income housing communities with the on-site support they need to gain stability and achieve self-sufficiency. With the help of the Phoenix Family staff, we were matched up with 31 children from the after-school program at a residential facility they serve. Many generous individuals along with National Healthcareer Associates enabled us to present each child with new warm PJs and fleece blankets; pillows with personalized, hand-designed pillowcases, books, socks, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and a gift. On December 14, we visited the children and the combined 60 kids spent time playing games, singing, dancing, making ornaments and beading bracelets, writing cards to soldiers, getting face paint and tatoos, having hot chocolate and cookies, giving and receiving gifts, and making new friends!
THANK YOU to Julie Walker and her group from National Healthcareer Associates for partnering with us on this project both financially and through your gifts of time! Thank you to the staff and the children for welcoming us and allowing us to spend time with you! (Click here to visit the Phoenix Family website to learn more about this fantastic local organization helping so many Kansas City area families!)
Christmas Caroling at Lakeview Village - December 2014
On a cold December night, we showed up at Lakeview Village in Lenexa to spread cheer and warm the hearts of some of the residents. The seniors absolutely loved seeing the kids and hearing them sing their songs. The kids also handed out candy canes and hand-made Christmas ornaments. The smiles on the faces of the residents AND the kids were priceless!
THANK YOU to Lakeview Village for allowing us to come and to all of the residents who were so kind and appreciative of the kids! Thank you also to Debbie McKinzie for stepping in as our song leader!
Peace Pavilion Visit - January 2015
In January we made our 2nd annual trip to the Peace Pavilion in Independence. This is a wonderul, hands-on children's museum and the kids LOVE this place! If you've never visited the Peace Pavilion with your kids, find a time to go!
THANK YOU to the volunteers at The Peace Pavilion for opening yoru doors to host our group!
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The Great Kindness Challenge School Edition - January 2015
(Article coming soon)
ArtRageous Creative Studio - Febaruary 2015
This month we made our 2nd annual visit to see Ms. Julie at her ArtRageous Creative Studio. She led the kids in using plastic shopping bags to create cool tote bags! Super cool use for those un-recyclable plastic bags! The kids love Ms. Julie's fantastic basement art studio!
THANK YOU to Ms. Julie for hosting us again at ArtRageous!
March Meeting - March 2015
In March we planned our aminal projects for the next month. We will be colleting supplies for an animal shelter and making home-made dog toys. We also learned all about PENGUINS in preparation for our overnight at the Kansas CIty Zoo, where we'll be sleeping with the penguins!
THANK YOU also to Holy Trinity for once again letting us use the school library for our meeting.
Peace Pack & Blessing Bag Assembly - June 2015
One of our biggest annual projects was completed this June with huge success! Through generous support of many friends, neighbors, colleagues, businesses, and organizations, we were able to make this year's project bigger than ever before! Not only did we make 50 Peace Packs for children in foster care AND 65 Blessing Bags for homeless men and women, we also put together 65 sack lunches for the homeless as well!
Peace Packs are backpacks STUFFED with school supplies, toys, games, books, toothbrushes, body wash, washcloths, hair bands, tissues, chapstick, bubbles, Play Doh, etc. The children first paint colorful handprints on the bags while making a wish for the child who will receive it. They then stuff the bags and stick in a note of friendship and a photo. This year we are donating our Peace Packs to kids living in foster care through Give What You Got, and organization that serves these children.
Blessing Bags contain a variety of first aid supplies, personal hygiene items, socks, wash cloths, writing supplies, rain ponchos, snacks, gum, water, and more. These were personally handed out to local homeless men and women along with the 65 sack lunches the kids assembled.
THANK YOU to EVERYONE who contrinuted items for this project! This project takes a tremendous amount of help from our commnity, and it always comes together! Thanks also to our awesome LKFP parents for always jumping in to help with everything we do!
Henry's Haul - July / August 2015
This summer Lucy's Kids for Peace joined Henry's Haul, which helps collect new, single-pack Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars for patients at Children's Mercy Hospital. Henry lost his battle with leukemia in 2014 but during his time at Children's Mercy, he loved being able to play with small toy cars even when he wasn't able to get out of bed. LKFP spent several mnoths collecting cars from family, friends, neighbors, and through collection drives in the community. We chalenged grops to get involved by taking the 100 Car Challenge. We gathered in early August to count the cars, box them up, load them onto a truck, and deliver them to Children's Mercy. We are thrilled to report that we far exceeded our goal and helped to collect over 10,000 cars! That will equal at least 10,000 smiles on the faces of CMH patients throughout the coming year! The following kids were recongnized for their collection efforts:
First to get 3 people to take the 100 Car Challenge:
Luke and Lily H.
Most 100 Car Challenge Sign-Ups:
Sadie B.
100 Car Challenge Sign-Up from furthest away:
Lily, Luke, and Grace C.
Random drawing between all who participated:
Solveig T.
THANK YOU to Kristi Lewczenko and The Kid Stitch for founding Henry's Haul and for letting us be a part of this year's collection, counting, and delivery!! Thank you to the staff at Children's Mercy for all you do for the children you care for.
Immigration Simulation - April 2017
Reported by Ellie R.
On Sunday, April 23 we got to experience what it’s like being an immigrant coming to live in the U.S. We heard from 3 guest speakers – Laura is a French speaker from Chad, Leu speaks Vietnamese and is from Vietnam, and Tehani’s father is from Palestine. We had different stations with different groups and had to try to complete a task as the instructor was speaking a foreign language. Next we read a book called “The Name Jar” about a girl from China who had to pick a name that the English speakers would understand. After that, we divided into groups again and got to hear from each of the guest speakers about their personal experiences coming into America. Our final activity was hearing from Denise from Catholic Charities. She explained to us what Catholic Charities does. They help incoming immigrants get on their feet to find a home, teach them how to grocery shop, reunite them with family, and so much more!
Thank you to all of our guest speakers for sharing your personal experiences!
Henry's Haul Counting Party
August 2018
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Bedtime Project
December 2016
In December we brought holiday cheer to local children living in poverty through our 3rd annual Bedtime Project.
Each child living in East Hills received cozy new PJs, a warm blanket, new pillow with a personalized pillowcase, socks, underwear, a toothbrush and toothpaste, books, and a gift selected just for them.
We wore our PJs and together we enjoyed an awesome magic show, played games, made community service crafts, got our faces painted, enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies, and presenting our gifts to our friends. Together we made each others holidays brighter!
Thank you to everyone who helped make this event possible!
CARLA JONES
Product Manager
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27 Thanksgiving Meals Delivered - November 2016
For our annual Thanksgiving project, Lucy's Kids for Peace put together food baskets which were delivered to 27 local families in need. These baskets contained all of the items needed for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner including canned goods, paper products, drinks, desserts, roasting pans and foil, and a turkey AND ham for each family. We discussed the varying situations that these families are facing and the tough decisions made by refugee families to flee their countries to come to America with the hope for a better future.
During our November meeting, we also brainstormed our projects for 2017 and created 25 Giving Plates, which are plates filled with treats that are handed out in the hoped that they will continually be refilled and passed along to others. Kids are able to select the recipient for their family's giving plate, and there were some happy police officers on the receiving end of one plate!
Thank you to all who contributed and
helped us spread Thanksgiving cheer!