Canvases and paints of all colors will be on hand at ArtsyU in East Ridge June 14 at 7 p.m. for emerging artists to create artwork for a cause. Of the $35 per person fee for the painting class, which includes all supplies, $10 will go to benefit Kids 4 Christ.
“I was painting at ArtsyU when I thought of the fundraiser,” said Kids 4 Christ volunteer teacher Sarah Huggins. “We will paint a swirly cross. If this fundraiser goes well, then we will host another one.”
K4C is raising money for its annual back-to-school party, during which each child gets a backpack filled with pencils, paper and other school supplies. Volunteers also give haircuts and paint fingernails.
Children from the LaFayette area flock to Kids 4 Christ year-round Thursday evenings for Kids First, which features a free meal, Bible study and fellowship with friends. If the children behave well they can earn points to use to shop in the reward store on campus.
The 100-plus elementary-aged smiling faces are longing for a place to belong, said Huggins. Kids 4 Christ gives them a safe haven away from the peer pressures in society. The children are taught Bible lessons by community leaders who become their mentors.
Huggins, who serves as a mentor with K4C, will be teaching students this summer at Kids First along with many other volunteer teachers. The summer lesson is all about how to control one’s anger and channel it in a positive way.
“Kids 4 Christ is a great outreach program in our area,” said Huggins. “It gives children something to do in LaFayette. It gives them a place to go where they know people care about them and give them love.”
To participate in the fundraiser, register at ArtsyChattanooga.com through the online calendar, though preregistration is not necessary; payment will be accepted at the door. ArtsyU is next to the Rave Theater, now called Carmike Cinemas, at 5084 South Terrace, Suite 15 in East Ridge. To learn more contact Huggins at huggins3618@windstream.net.