TORCH hosts day of free family fun at Children’s Museum

 

TORCH hosted a day of free family fun at the Children’s Museum on Saturday, April 2.

It was the first TORCH Springtastic! Elaine Graham of Balloonacy Lunacy presented the children with balloon animals, flowers, among other things, while Kelly Mules of Faces Gone Wild painted exquisite designs on their faces. Jeffery Bell portrayed Carley, the dog who is the main character in the TORCH Children’s book series. Nathan Zieger read Dr. Seuss, and Sheila Michel told stories and worked puppets.

Andy O’Quinn, TORCH executive director, put together music videos to which the children could dance. There were arts and crafts, fruits, vegetables and juice boxes to enjoy, and the opportunity to plant a fresh flower in a small pot to take home.

“It was a celebration of spring and healthy life choices,” a press release said.

TORCH, an organization that works with the homeless of Anderson County, is seeing an increase in homelessness in school children, the release said. TORCH Springtastic! was a way to offer free family fun and healthy food to all preschool and elementary school students in the area while presenting a source of help in time of crisis. ORNL Federal Credit Union, Kroger, and Whole Foods sponsored the event.

For more information on TORCH (Trinity Out-Reach Center of Hope) go to www.oakridgetorch.org. To offer support to the work with homeless families with children go to http://torchspringtastic.mydagsite.com/.

Sheila Michel is TORCH founder and board chair.

 

 

 

 

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