CHILD IN NEED

Has the cool weather lately started you thinking about fall activities? In less than a month school will have started and football and other fall sports will be in full swing.

For many adults as well as children, the beginning of school is like the start of a new year even more than Jan. 1 is. This year why not make a new school year resolution to "Be a Friend...Be a Mentor" to one of the children on the Kinship Partner waiting list.

This week's "Child in Need," features a sister and a brother who both want partners. Caroline is an 11 year-old girl who will be in sixth grade. Her favorite subjects are art and reading. She likes soccer, bike riding, cooking, arts and crafts, and would love to go camping some time. Caroline lives in Brainerd with her mom and two brothers. Her father lives in the area and she sees him occasionally. She describes herself as happy, shy, quiet and fun and says she likes to do lots of things. Caroline's mother says, "She is a very active child who is talkative and can be bossy." She feels Caroline needs a woman partner with patience who will work with her personality and be a friend to her. Caroline would love to have a partner to have fun with.

Here's your chance

If you would like to "Be a Friend...Be a Mentor" to either Caroline or Bradley, please give Kinship Partners a call at 829-4606 in Brainerd, kinship@brainerd.net; or outside the Brainerd area at 1-877-730-5437.

Bradley is 9 and in third grade where his favorite subjects are math, science, and gym. His favorite activities are football, baseball, basketball, bike riding, video games, swimming and fishing. He would like to someday try rock climbing. Bradley says he is sometimes talkative and sometimes shy. Even though he likes doing lots of sports and guy things, he want s a couple to be his partners because he says that women take better care of kids. His mom feels that Bradley needs partners with a sense of humor who are nurturing and have the energy to try new things.

As the new year of school approaches think of all of life's lessons you have to share with a child. You may be just the person to share special fun times with them and make a difference in their lives.