Special day sponsored by ABC 30, Fresno Bee, Valley Children’s

For the past 29 years, Valley Children’s Hospital, along with ABC Channel 30 and The Fresno Bee, have been supporting Kids Day. People in the community have been rallying around Kids Day to help patients in pediatric hospitals.

Every year a child is selected to serve as the Ambassador of Kids Day. Madison Verkaik, a child who was diagnosed as a newborn with Ebstein’s anomaly, was chosen as this year’s ambassador.

The special edition newspaper for Kids Day will be sold by the campus leadership and journalism classes along with other Valley schools and community supporters. Kids Day newspapers will be sold for $1 or any larger donation gifted. FC student volunteers will be selling papers on the corners of Alluvial and Cedar as well as Alluvial and Maple.

The Fresno Bee has been a major supporter of Kids Day for the last 30 years. Jim Boren, Editor of The Fresno Bee, knows that the community understands how important it is to support quality health care.

“The partnership that began with The Bee, ABC Channel 30 and Valley Children’s Hospital 30 years ago has endured because the community understands the importance of supporting quality health care as exemplified by Children’s,” Boren said. ”We are a part of the community, and all of us benefit when we make the hospital stronger. I expect the best turnout yet — both in terms of volunteers and money raised.

“I am always buoyed by the enthusiasm of our volunteers who get up very early in the morning to sell papers,” Boren continued. “The fantastic growth of Celebrity Corner is one highlight. When it started, there were only a few of us. Now it’s the biggest corner going on Kids Day. The second highlight is when the high school bands come out to support us.”

Last year Kids Day set a goal of $550,000 with an estimated 6,000 volunteers. They ended up raising $591,559. This year they anticipate approximately 7,000 volunteers serving on street corners across the Valley. With the expected rise in volunteers, a new goal of $625,000 is anticipated for the upcoming Kids Day.

Diana Farmer, the coordinator of the special edition Kids Day papers, works in the audience development department for the Fresno Bee. Farmer appreciates high energy high-school volunteers for their exuberant attitudes while selling the papers.

“It isn’t difficult to produce the special edition (newspapers) for Kids Day because there are always amazing stories to write about from Valley Children’s,” Farmer said. “The printing part of the special section is just another day.

“However, it does take extra time when running a special section and combining it with the Fresno Bee,” Farmer continued. “We have an excellent production team to handle the job. Our advertising department is also very important to the special section.”

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/310175737″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”150″ iframe=”true” /]

Kids Day began when former ABC 30 anchor, Don Postles presented the idea of Kids Day for the Central Valley in 1988. ABC 30 advertises the event each year through social media and television news. ABC 30 executive producer Aurora Diaz explains some of the motivations behind Kids Day.

“ABC30 has been a proud sponsor of Kids Day since its inception in 1988,” Diaz said. “Our former anchor Don Postles brought the idea of Kids Day to the Central Valley. We are proud the legacy lives on as ABC30, the Fresno Bee and Valley Children’s Hospital celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Kids Day.

“We think it’s important to support our community and we encourage you to buy Kids Day papers,” Diaz said. “Every year we spread the word via multiple platforms: on-air, online and social media. We look forward to raising awareness about Valley Children’s Hospital and Kids Day.”

Senior editor of The Feather Nick LeBlanc, ’17, is ready for Kids Day this year and has high expectations that FC will exceed last year’s donations.

“I do Kids Day for the children battling various types of sicknesses,” LeBlanc said. “It’s a great way to gain money and spread awareness for Valley Children’s. Last year was fun, and I think that we can do just as well this year. ”

Kid’s Day manager Molly Marquez works at Valley Children’s Healthcare and coordinates the event in conjunction with ABC 30 and the Fresno Bee. Marquez is honored to hold her position and collaborate with local news agencies. She encourages all ages to participate in Kid’s Day through buying or selling the special edition newspapers printed by the Fresno Bee.

“Kid’s Day is an annual fundraiser in partnership with Valley Children’s, the Fresno Bee and ABC 30,” Marquez said. “It is one of the largest fundraisers of the year, and it’s an opportunity for us to sell a special edition newspaper that showcases different and stories from the hospital that took place throughout the year and current things that are going on that the community may be interested to know. It’s a way for us to showcase these stories while simultaneously collecting donations for the hospital.

“Kid’s Day is a unique event because anyone can support the event,” Marquez continued. “You can donate your dollar to purchase paper, or you can be out selling the papers and support us that way. We have everything from elementary schools to multi-level businesses participating in Kid’s Day. Students make up some of our largest groups of volunteers, and that’s an exciting thing.”

Be sure to look for journalism or leadership students on the streets corners of Alluvial and Cedar and Alluvial and Maple as early as 5 a.m.

Don’t forget to check out last year’s Kids Day article, “Campus Unites, rallies to fundraise for 29th Kids Day.”

To read another article check out: Scholastic Journalism Week highlights student service.

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @_SamCross_ and via email: Samuel Cross.