"I love facilitating a Kids Care Club.  As a counselor, it allows me to be involved in something very positive, but my favorite thing is watching how easy it is for kids to use their hearts and show caring, even some kids who don't always shine in the classroom.  There is something about giving and sharing that just comes so naturally for even the toughest kid."  --Cindy Payne

Cindy Payne, Counselor
Kids Care Club Facilitator
Red Hill Elementary School
North Garden, VA

Red Hill Kids Care Club in North Garden, VA began in 2002 when Cindy Payne joined the staff there and was looking for something positive to involve the kids in that would build some new energy. 

Over the past 10 years the Red Hill Kids Care Club members have been very busy helping others.  Their actiivies include: park clean-ups, fundraisers for hurricane victims, recycling programs, literacy events, cards being created and sent to military members and veterans and many other projects. 

This past year they coordinated a schoolwide fundraiser for one of the Red Hill families that had lost quite a bit in a kitchen fire.  They started a campaign to fill a bucket (the school's character theme) for the family to rebuild. They also coordinated their schools recycling program.  

On May 26th, they spent the day walking at the event to honor and remember those who had lost their lives to cancer including; classmates, family members and Kids Care Clubs' own - Maureen Byrne.  They formed a team for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.  They partnered with Kids Care Clubs at two other schools (Stony Point Kids Care Club and Yancy Kids Care Club) and together, were able to raise $3,500 toward help finding a cure!

At the Relay for Life event, their campsite won the Power of Purple Spirit Award -- creating a representation of the Planet Purple where cancer doesn't exist. The kids created a purple alien, a one eyed, one-horned flying purple cancer eater, and  stars of honor. They sold Purple Passion Punch and won the admiration of many for their Purple spirit! 

One of their favorite Kids Care Club activities is visiting the Laurels Senior Home.  They love meeting the residents at the Laurels and, this year they helped celebrate the birthday of the home's oldest guests.  She turned 103 and told the kids wonderful stories about what school and growing up was like in the early 1900's when she was a child.

The kids say, "I wish we could do more" and "I'm glad we helped." 

And Cindy agrees, "Kids Care Club keeps me hopeful. Even a bad day is better when I spend time with kids wanting to do good things for other people."

We, at generationOn Kids Care Club thank Cindy Payne for her years of dedicated service as an inspiring leader and facilitator to her many Kids Care Club kids.  Congratulations to all her Kids Care Club members for their continuing kindness and wonderful service to others.  Cindy's Kids Care Club kids inspire us all.