LETTER: ‘A summer of giving’

I was born in Orient, in the home of my grandparents Lonnie and Gertrude Weed. Life was a bit different when I was young. Each resident of Orient knew all of the other residents by name and, together, much like a family, they watched over each other’s kids.

And so, I grew up, raised by my mom and dad Carl and Flora Campbell, along with the help of our hometown residents. Doyle, my husband, grew up in the Zion area and experienced a similar fondness for his community.

School reorganizations broadened our community awareness. Orient and Zion communities came together, then Richland joined in and, lastly, Macksburg. Our hometown community grew.

Now retired, Doyle and I live in Creston and, once again, our hometown community has expanded. The welfare of the kids living in our enlarged community family has been heavy on my mind as of late. There is no question that COVID has impacted our lives; it has touched our health, our social activities and our finances.

With this in mind, I’m organizing four events to help kids in need who live in our hometown communities. The four Kids in Need (KIN) events are:

• The KIN Book Drive begins April 12 through May 12. It will provide inventory for the “KIN Bookworm Roundup.”

• The KIN Bookworm Roundup is a free book fair open to the general public, but is also a fundraiser. Free will donations collected at this event will be used to purchase school supplies for our kids in need. The roundup takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 15 and from 1 to 4 p.m. May 16 at Uptown Brick and Bell located at the corner of Montgomery and Division streets in Creston.

• The KIN Clothing Drive will be conducted in the June/July 2021 timeframe to provide clothing — from baby clothing through to adult-size — for the KIN Back-to-School Rally.

• The KIN Back-to-School Rally is planned for late July/early August 2021. Donated items will be available free of charge to Kids in Need from infants to high school aged children.

I’m excited about this summer and all that can be accomplished for Kids in Need. Please support and participate in these events as you are able. We’ll have fun while reaping the rewards of giving!

If residents of surrounding townships would like to organize similar events and would like help getting started call Carla Campbell Jensen at 515-306-4073.