Kenny Rogers Children's Center kicks off season with new project involving teenagers

SIKESTON, Mo. — The Kenny Rogers Children's Center in Sikeston is kicking off the holiday season with a new small-business project involving the teens it serves.

KRCC executive director Michelle Fayette said the Center — which helps children with special needs and their families — has been exploring a project to assist the late-teenage patients and are excited for the small-business project, which has the goal of employing young adults with disabilities.

According to Fayette, one of the things discussed was expanding and creating a boutique for late-teen patients.

Fayette said although the Center is unsure whether it will be able to raise the funds needed for the boutique, they have decided to move forward with the project and have chosen five of the older children to design and sell Christmas shirts and sweatshirts.

"Every Tuesday, for two hours, those five older kids are going to fill the shirt orders and make the shirts," Fayette said. "The Center covered the upfront cost for the iron-on press for the shirts, and then, when the kids come in, they will actually work for an hourly rate to make the shirts."

The shirts are as follows: Bella Canvas short-sleeve for $20 in adult, youth and toddler sizes, plus $3 for 2XL or 3XL; Bella Canvas long-sleeve for $25 in adult and youth sizes, plus $4 for 2XL and 3XL; and a comfort color sweatshirt for $30 in adult sizes only, plus $4 for 2XL and 3XL.

Fayette explained the goal of the small-business project, saying that as the children get older, they want to do something that will make them feel like they are contributing.

"It builds their confidence that maybe they can go on and do something else; maybe it's sitting at the library and checking out books," Fayette said. "They're certainly capable of doing other jobs, and we are just providing them that opportunity and boosting their confidence."

Another holiday fundraiser the Center is doing is gift card sales.

According to Myka Dockins, clinical coordinator assistant, the Center has been doing gift card fundraisers for at least 10 years, and they are the same cards one would buy at a store. Fayette said they sell thousands of dollars worth of gift cards.

"I have a lot of regular customers with the gift cards each year," Dockins said. "They just give me their order, and then I order them, and when they come in, I get them all ready for you and hand you an envelope with your gift cards in there."

According to Dockins, there are more than 750 gift cards to choose from, and each company donates a percentage to KRCC for each gift card purchased.

"Those who buy a gift card get the full value of the card; it's the company that gives back a percentage to us," Dockin said. "So it doesn't cost you any extra to purchase a gift card."

The holiday gift cards have two deadlines. The first order is due at noon Monday, Nov. 13, and the second order is due at noon Monday, Dec. 11. Dockins said that payment is due at the time of order.

For more information on how to order a card or T-shirt, contact Dockins at mdockins@kennyrogerscenter.org or call (573) 472-0397.

For more information about Kenny Rogers Children's Center, visit www.kennyrogerscenter.org.