Change for Change initiative

Fountain Lake seventh grader Emily Kennedy was the guest speaker at last week's Rotary Club of Scenic 7 meeting. Emily started the Change for Change initiative raising money for Children's Hospital.

Amanda Kennedy sits close by as her daughter Emily addressed members of the Rotary Club of Scenic 7.

Emily Kennedy is an active Fountain Lake seventh grader. She belongs to the Junior Beta Club, CHAMPS, sings, leads praise and worship at her church and loves to play tennis. She makes good grades but wanted to do more for her community and her state. She came up with an idea to raise money to benefit Arkansas Children's Hospital. Her program is called Change for Change. Students are encouraged to put change in the brightly decorated cans in Fountain Lake classrooms and in area businesses such as Riser Ford and Kennedy and Associates. The two named businesses have pledged to match funds collected. The contributions are tax deductible.

The Junior Beta Club fosters leadership in students by having them participate in bettering their community. Emily and her classmates have taken food to Jackson House. They have already participated in Talent Search, an opportunity to learn about colleges and college curricula. As a member of the club, the students can start taking their ACTs now.

Emily has demonstrated leadership abilities by spearheading the effort to raise money for the Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock. Children's is the only hospital in the state dealing specifically with children and their illnesses.

Emily was one of the many getting to know Children's from the inside out. She made her first trip there in a helicopter when she was just hours old. Her family is aware of the food vouchers given to families of patients so they can keep their strength up while cheering patients to recovery.

Emily's family also became aware that what insurance does not pay for each patient is written off by hospital donations. No child is turned away.

Save change for one of the Change for Change cans and help Emily make a difference.

Today Susan Lancaster of ASMSA will speak to the Rotary Club of Scenic 7. The club meets at noon at Molly O'Brien's on Highway 7. A buffet lunch is available at cost.

There will be no meeting March 31 as the club will celebrate its charter at a Charter Night Dinner at the DeSoto Club in the Village.