Kid’s Club Donates to Sandy Hook
Photo Courtesy of: Christian Shepherd
Chris and Kayla Mendez show off their coloring books and paintings during the Kid’s Club event at the Inland Center Mall.
Photo Courtesy of: Christian Shepherd
Urel (left) and Aaron (middle) with their mother Arcevelia Sanchez as they draw pictures on their puzzle sheets and coloring books.
Photo Courtesy of: Christian Shepherd
Alyssa Avellaneda as she reads out facts about animals in the wild with the help of Patty Schwartz, an organizer of the event.
Photo Courtesy of: Christian Shepherd
Chris Mendez sporting his coloring book and new hat that was given to him for reading facts about animals in the wild. The event is sponsored by National Geographic Kids and learning is always an essential part of the events.
Photo Courtesy of: Christian Shepherd
Yahir Barragan reads aloud to the crowd to earn an exploring hat to take home alongside his coloring books and build-your-own puzzle kit.
Photo Courtesy of: Christian Shepherd
Brielle Beall, age 9, in her new safari hat that she earned from reading aloud to all the other people at the Kid’s Club event in the Inland Center Mall.
Photo Courtesy of: Christian Shepherd
Urel Sanchez holds up his classical take on the typical fruit bowl photo. The event was designed to encourage creativity such as Urel’s painting and foster a child’s desire to learn.
By Christian Shepherd
Community Writer
07/19/2013 at 05:22 PM
The Inland Center Mall hosted another Kid’s Club event for all of the kids in the Inland Empire to come and enjoy. The event was thrown by the Kid’s Club which is sponsored by National Geographic Kids. The theme of this month’s event was “Big Cats.” Children who participated were given a free activity and sticker book and a create-your-own puzzle kit. Markers were laid out for all of the kids to use and there was plenty of creativity amongst the children.
The Kid’s Club is teaming up with its other sister centers across the nation to donate over $40,000 to the Sandy Hook Special Revenue Fund during this month. Last December, Sandy Hook Elementary School, located in Newtown, Connecticut, was the locale of a mass murder where twenty children and six adult staff members were killed. The Inland Center Mall purchased all of the materials for the day’s events and the proceeds are being sent to the Sandy Hook Fund.
“We are proud to offer these books free to our Kid’s Club children and to donate to such worthwhile cause at the same time. These books are being given in honor of Sandy Hook. Celebrate your kids and celebrate summer, but never forget Sandy Hook,” stated Terri Relf, Senior Marketing Manager at the Inland Center Mall.
The Kid’s Club has over 50 independent organizations across the United States and 38 of them are participating in the Sandy Hook Special Revenue Fund.
The event lasted from noon to 3 p.m. and the free books and puzzles were open to kids ages 2–12. The Kid’s Club and the Inland Center puts on an event like this every month; they have done a Birdhouse Day event for Mother’s Day and a Bug Jug Day for Father’s day. August is another “Big Cats and Love Our Planet” day and September is an “Under the Sea” themed event.
These events usually see around 400 total participants, of which 250 are children. Families are encouraged to come and engage in the activities together.
Susie Mendez, mother of Chris and Kayla Mendez, commented on the Kid’s Club activities: “I bring my kids to these events all the time. It’s a great way for them to learn about animals and get to explore and be creative.” Her son Chris Mendez also read an excerpt on large cats and earned himself an explorer’s hat for his efforts.
