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Rosewood AKTION Club Coloring Book and Crayon Drive Nets Record Numbers for Area Children

Color Books, Crayons and Community – Members of the Great Bend High School National Honor Society donate coloring books and crayons to Rosewood AKTION Club during the Club’s meeting last fall. Standing left to right are officers for Rosewood AKTION Club and GBHS NHS: Destiny Thomas (RW), Josh Trimmer (RW), Kaycie Teghtmeyer (GBHS NHS sponsor); Madelynn Gregg (GBHS NHS); Gavin Hirsh (GBHS NHS); Kurtis Coleman (RW), and Ashley Hullett (RW).

Rosewood Miracle Workers AKTION Club’s Coloring Book and Crayon Drive, conducted last fall, resulted in record amounts of giving to children across Barton County and beyond. The drive was bolstered by two organizations, UnitedHealthcare and Great Bend High School’s National Honor Society, conducting their own drives to add to this year’s total.

From the collective efforts, Rosewood AKTION Club coloring book and crayon drive netted 1,719 coloring books and 1,719 crayons (the same amount for each item). Crayon donations shattered last year’s record by more than 1,000 boxes. Coloring books exceeded last year’s record by more than 200.

“I’m amazed at the caring and giving spirit of this community,” said Rosewood AKTION Club sponsor Frankie Pelster. “Each year we conduct this drive for children in need and each year we seem to break records in donations. We could not carry forward this important drive without the participating by all the people and organizations that have gotten behind our drive each year. Thank you everyone for your participation.”

Items from the annual drive, which wrapped up at the end of November, have been donated to organizations in Barton County. Rosewood AKTION Club split the deliveries among Clara Barton Hospital, Hoisington; Saint Francis Ministries, Great Bend, and to more than a dozen area preschools and daycares.

For the fourth consecutive year, the coloring book drive became a fun competition as Rosewood AKTION Club challenged Rosewood employees to generate donations for the drive. Community donations were counted in the AKTION Club’s collection, while Rosewood employees in Day Services, Residential and Administration each collected coloring books and crayons for their respective teams. Rosewood AKTION Club unseated Day Services as champion, thanks to the large community donations received this year. Rosewood AKTION Club accounted for 1,019 coloring books and 1,224 boxes of crayons. Rosewood Day Services, the three-time defending champion, gave a resilient effort with 564 coloring books and 342 boxes of crayons donated.

“We have fun with the competition, but we all win with this drive every year when children are able to receive these donated items at their trying times,” said Pelster. “Our AKTION Club members are so thankful to Rosewood employees and our community members for stepping up to bring smiles to children’s faces.” 

Rosewood AKTION Club is an affiliate of the national Kiwanis organization that promotes service in action for people with developmental disabilities. The area club allows Rosewood representatives to be actively involved in the community and to positively impact the lives of others.

-RW-

Find more about Rosewood Services online, http://RosewoodServices.com
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For more information, contact Frankie Pelster, Rosewood AKTION Club sponsor, employmentspecialist@rosewoodservices.com, 620-603-6502

January 19, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Story by: Michael Dawes, director of PR, Rosewood Services, 620-792-2536, MichaelD@rosewoodservices.com