Newsletter: February 4, 2008

The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.

                                                      - Norman Vincent Peale

Happy 2008 everyone!

2008 marks our 4th year in operation. We've come a long way. I left our art party yesterday afternoon feeling so blessed by the longevity of this project and Creek kids' continued enthusiasm and energy. The room was packed with artists, ranging from about 3 years to 16 years. We filled the room with colorful art, ready to be transformed into stationery and touchstone magnets. Eventually, as we always do, we'll sell these wares and and then use the money to make someone's life a little easier.

As most of you know, we first started out focused on our homeless community members. For the past four years, we've purchased sleeping bags and tents, tarps, toiletry supplies, jeans, shoes, and lunches for our friends at Fresh Start. We've nurtured a loving and accepting relationship with Fresh Start clients and Susan Prather, the boss. This past year, we donated $3050 worth of goods and meals to Fresh Start clients.

Two years ago, we set our sights on an international project and thus added JF Kapnek to our support list. Now, we fully fund a preschool in Zimbabwe for children who are orphaned due to AIDS. This December, we donated $1250 to fund the operation of "our" preschool. We have a great project coming up that directly benefits our preschool. Details below.

Just in case you are wondering, all of our profits go directly back to these organizations. We are a volunteer run organization.  

Thanks for 2007

I'm sure we'll leave someone out, but here's a short list of warm thanks (in no particular order): May Newton, our knitter extraordinaire; the incredible Schwartz family for their knock-your-socks-off bluegrass music at the Holiday Boutique; Ann Bevan for the pointsettas; Holly for the cranberry mums; all the bakers at the boutique; Rob Weiner Light, Steven Freemire and Terry Miles for Boutique set up, Janelle Capinpin and Francesca Modesti and Troop 1456 for their art work and donation; Francie Low and the Lafayette/Orinda Presbyterian Church for their art party; Colleen Wolff and Allison Ridenhour for cutting art; all those who donated to the Lombardi family, especially Molly Breen; The Longmire family for the generous donation; the fabulous Las Lomas crew headed by the fabulously fab Erin Wolff and Katrina Halle; Jim McGough for all the website work; Krista Smith, Aissa and Elaine for letting us use their classrooms at Parkmead; Katie Smith for help coordinating the Holiday Boutique; Hillside Covenant for hosting the Boutique; the talented and generous Kerima Swain and Julia McLeod for donating their gorgeous artwork to CKC; East Bay Art in WC for donating water color paper every month; the generous CKC family for their $3000 matching donation AND

to the Creek Kids who keep on coming back to create and give with total joy.

It wouldn't happen without all of your creativity, generosity and time. Thank you!

CKC artists get a commission!

Creek Kids might just be branching out in a new direction. Tri-Valley Orthopedics, a physical therapy office in Pleasanton, commissioned Creek Kids to fill five huge frames for their new office space. It was a great opportunity and fundraising event. We'd love to fill any office space with our artwork. Thank you to Mari and friends and best of luck in your new venture! 

Valentines...

At our last art party, our theme was "heart art." The cards from that art are looking beautiful. Valentine's gift, perhaps? Let us know if you'd like to buy any packs of cards: creekkidscare@sbcglobal.net .

Looking Ahead

Our February/March Project for JF Kapnek Charitable Trust: Grab a Bag!

Every year, the JF Kapnek Trust ships a freight container full of supplies to be used by the children and families in Zimbabwe that the Trust supports. This year, Creek Kids are going to help in this effort. It's an easy, tangible way to connect our children to children on the other side of the world.

You can contribute in the following ways:

1. Fill the supplied plastic bag (or one of your own) with preschool supplies such as pens, markers, crayons, pencils, erasers, notebooks, glue, etc.
2. Purchase or collect from your home sturdy plastic sand toys, wooden puzzles, playing cards, preschool and young reader books (in English), paper for art and writing, sewing supplies including thread, yarn and needles.
3. Collect and bring packing boxes to our CKC Pack Day on March 10th.

Any or all of the items can be gently used. Please have your children comb through their own toys and supplies and pick out the excess for a donation. If you are planning on making a purchase, may we suggest that your children contribute some of their own money so they can take more ownership of the contribution. As always, we try to make CKC activities as tangible and interactive as possible.

Logistics:

• If you'd like one of our plastic bags to pack, please contact Julie Miles at jmiles@srvhs.org or Laura Halpin at creekkidscare@sbcglobal.net . You certainly don't need the bag to get started, but they're good containers and we have LOTS.
• If you cannot bring the donated supplies to the CKC Pack Day, please make a connection with either Julie, Laura or Cat coachcat@jps.net so we can get them there.

CKC PACK DAY will be on Monday, March 10th from 3:45-5:15 at Julie's house: 2785 Acacia Road in Walnut Creek. Feel free to bring packing boxes. If you can make it, please RSVP to Julie at jmiles@srvhs.org. It will be fun and exciting to see the collective impact of all our donations.

April 13th JF Kapnek Fun Run

Mark your calendars! Every year, JF Kapnek sponsors a 5K and 1K fun run to raise money for their trust. This year, the event is on APRIL 13th. Creek Kids will form a participating team. We'll put our new CKC t-shirts to good use! There will be more information to come. There will be food, games and music, fresh air and exercise. What more could we ask for?

2008 and Fresh Start

We are in conversation with Susan Prather, executive director of Fresh Start, for a meaningful way to support our community via Fresh Start. With the Las Lomas High School chapter of Creek Kids up and running, we have more hands working more often. We have lots of ideas, just want to make sure that what we do has the most positive impact at Fresh Start. We'll keep you posted. At the very least, we'll be putting together some spring/summer survival kits in March or April.

Fresh Start Donations

Fresh Start welcomes our support and donations. At the same time, sorting and distributing items they can't use keeps them from the important work of supporting our local poor and homeless community members. Please contact Fresh Start directly if you have donations to make. We'll be putting up on our website a Fresh Start wish list soon.

Fresh Start Fundraiser

 On February 6th, back by popular demand, Brian Copeland is performing his one man show entitled Not a Genuine Black Man. This show (at the Dean Lesher in Walnut Creek) will be a fundraiser for Fresh Start. Treat yourself to a great show and do community service at the same time!

Tshirts, anyone?

We have Creek Kids Care tshirts for sale. It was so great to see kids at the art party wearing them! They're so good looking. Please let us know if you'd like to purchase a tshirt for your child. They're $12 and come in two different styles: beefy tees and a slightly more fitted cut. We can help you figure out sizing for your kids. In a week or so, we'll have pictures of them up on our website. Contact Laura creekkidscare@sbcglobal.net or Julie jmiles@srvhs.org.

A note of thanks

A quick calendar of upcoming events:

Assembly Party for 5th graders and older

Monday, February 11th, 3:45-5:15

Parkmead School, Room 10 

RSVP creekkidscare@sbcglobal.net

Creek Kids Pack Day for JF Kapnek

Monday, March 10, 3:45-5:15 p.m.

Julie's house: 2785 Acacia Road, WC

RSVP: jmiles@srvhs.org

JFKapkek Charitable Trust 5K/1K Fun Run

Sunday, April 13th

Details to come

Looking forward to seeing you soon,

Laura, Julie and Cat

© Creek Kids Care, 2006