The Kids of Kutz
This is a great story even if I spoil the ending in the first sentence by sharing the amazing 6th grade kids of Kutz’s PEN Team raised $2,254 for Kin. How did they do it? Read on.
A couple of months ago I received an email from Mrs. Heidi Long informing me that her PEN Team kids had selected Kin as the beneficiary of their fundraising efforts. There was a special motivation to select Kin as a way to honor Corinne Sikora, who dreamt up the idea of an all inclusive wellness center in Bucks County.
I was eager to meet the kids and when I did I was greeted with some of the most inspired and thoughtful questions and comments about fundraising and fundraising strategy. This group was organized, focused and very motivated. They knew that in order to succeed they had to find a way to inspire all their peers. The entire Kutz Elementary school had to buy-in.
The kids devised a fundraiser called ‘Kiss for Kin’. The premise, the class who raised the most money would win the right to have their teacher kiss a pig. (A beautiful potbelly named Pumpkin, who puckers up when you ask if she wants a kiss!) They could have stopped there, but they realized that since their fundraiser lasted an entire month, they would need to come up with clever ways to stimulate and incentivize the giving week-after-week. They installed prizes and raffle items, like win a quilt and buy a raffle to win a chance to meet and pet Pumpkin the pig.
Kristina, Kin’s Director, and I were invited to the school for the reveal and the check presentation. All the kids from the PEN Team greeted us at the front office and escorted us to a special classroom where the kiss would take place. The event was broadcast throughout the entire school.
The kids produced the entire program, with jokes (What do you get when you cross a pig and a cactus? A porky-pine.), fun facts, Q&A, interviews, check presentation and thank yous.
Lily, Anushka, Jackson, Erik, Blake, Brady, and Matthew cared deeply and worked so hard to make Kiss for Kin a success. They were all motivated for different reasons and had unique takeaways.
Here’s what the kids had to say about their experience:
"My biggest hope is if Corrine (Sikora) were alive today, she would be proud of us and able to tell us we helped fulfill her dream." - Anushka
“These have been some of the best months of my life. I started sixth grade wanting to host some kind of fundraiser and to help somebody, and almost immediately I learned that the PEN team was doing a take the initiative project. I was so excited, and I got into it immediately. This was the perfect project for me and helping Kin has made me so happy. Although our fundraiser is over, I am very much looking forward to helping kin in the future. It made me so happy that my goal for this year helped me get as immersed in this project as I did. Although there were some obstacles along the way, I truly hope that what we are doing now and what we will do will make a difference in the world.” - Lily
“I feel proud, and ecstatic at what me and the Kutz PEN team has gotten to do. It warms my heart that we, 11- and 12-year old’s, can make a difference and help all these people. All the work we have put into this project, is 100% worth it, known that we know that we have helped our community, and helped the people who live in it. It brings joy to my feelings knowing that we helped make Corrine Sikora’s dream come true.” - Jackson
“Helping Kin has made me realize that there are so many people that are fighting such a horrible thing and I want to help them. I am doing this because I care for people. I want them to be happy.” - Blake
“I like the idea of KIN; it is a very good project and maybe it will become nation-wide one day. I have big plans for this company.” - Matt
My mom had cancer, so it felt really good giving back to the community. -Erik
Kin thanks the amazing PEN Team, led by Mrs. Long, and all the students of Kutz Elementary, the faculty, staff, parents and administrations for all the amazing donations. This money will stay local and help local Bucks County cancer patients. We are grateful for your support!
