Charity Begins at Home
By Pallavi Ganeshkumar

Charity begins at home. How true! When we teach our children to be honest, polite and be good, we are just not imparting manners, we are taking a step forward in making them good citizens. Children of today's times are born with almost no deprivation. Abundance of food, toys, games and what ever they want is provided on a silver platter.

There is an urgent need to realize that our children's future lies in their hands and how we help them shape it. As adults we can guide and lead them to a better future and a better world with simple actions. We can make a difference by creating the right platform. For instance weekly visits to the hospitals, lending a helping hand at soup kitchens, participating in local charity events and many other such activities.

Under - privileged doesn't necessarily mean that somewhere in Africa or Asia, people are suffering and we need to lend a helping hand. It is an awareness that right in our own backyards, there are opportunities to help others around. Perhaps help an old neighbor fetch groceries or read to a blind person or even meet war veterans. Such instances open the doors to do larger initiatives later in life.

Children aged between 5 - 8 years can begin to understand the discrimination around the world. This is the right time to inculcate in them the true sense and joy of giving with real care. At an impressionable age they can make it a part of their lifestyle to give, to nurture and to understand. Being underprivileged is not something to be looked down but it is chance given to these children to understand life's bigger picture.

In the same way many 9- 12 year olds can do a lot more. They can help by involving in a larger scale. Like visits to the nearby hospitals, old age homes, institutions, soup kitchens community welfare programs, cleaning beaches, so on and so forth. These instance make them aware that being unwanted or neglected or pollution or illiteracy are big concerns and are more like diseases.

Visits to hospital, retirement communities, soup kitchens, charity events, awareness camps about saving the earth, saving water etc. can boost the confidence levels of many children. If seeing is believing such small steps taken in childhood can be a big step for mankind itself.

A lot of kids would stay out of trouble in school if their energies are given opportunities to such positive activities very early in their lives. If we look into the history of many great lives, like Abe Lincoln, and Martin Luther King their childhood has shaped what they became later in their lives.

Creating workshops about poverty, diseases, pollution can sprout ideas to think laterally, which will help them to look at issues on a larger scale.

To stop wastage of resources be it man made or natural will help them tune into the needs of the world in a more systematic and supportive way. Not many know that what is thrown as waste in one country can provide meals in another.

School drop outs, staying out of drugs, alcoholism, waywardness, all such things which are affected individually can also be monitored. It is awareness that will bring in the right energy from children to stay away from trouble. Once children are aware it is very difficult for them not to act upon such influences.

Arguably not many charity events or such social service activities involve children at the micro-level. But it is up to the parents, schools, media and other influential people to create awareness about such activities. Once they are aware, they will have a say in the schools and the local clubs about green earth, clean water, and the right to educate.

As parents, adults and responsible citizens we must do this much to save our future and our children's as well. Because the future has a way of arriving unannounced.

THE SUMMER ART ACADEMY ANNOUNCES ITS NEW HOME IN AGOURA HILLS
By Staff Writer

The Summer Art Academy has signed a multi-year agreement with Heschel West in Agoura Hills to use their facilities to host its creative arts summer camp, for boys and girls ages 5 to 11, starting this coming summer. "It's the perfect place for us," says David Wohlstadter, Founder and Director of the program, "because it's a large site, allowing us to offer our campers many great workshops in the arts. It's also centrally located, with easy access so that we can serve families throughout the entire west valley".

Each summer, for past 6 years, Wohlstadter, known endearingly to campers as "The Big Cheese", has offered his custom-crafted program at various locations throughout the East Valley and has built a strong following of over 600 families. Now, with a new home in Agoura Hills, families who were unable to attend due to distance now have that opportunity.

The Academy is a specialty art camp offering a wide variety of unique workshops to its campers. From cartooning to ceramics, hand drumming to pastels, fencing towoodworking, each workshop is tailored to children's inherent curiosity and sense of discovery. "My goal" says Wohlstadter, "is to spark creativity, engagement, exploration and individual expression in the children attending." Wohlstadter accomplishes that goal by hand choosing a seasoned staff of professional teachers in their field as well as workshop assistants who help open minds and change lives. What makes the program such a dynamic summer experience is that children can choose four unique workshops to attend throughout the day. Workshops as varied as Magic to African Embroidery.

"Our commitment to the kids is to create and environment where they may discover a love, or a new passion, for something they truly never expected." says Wohlstadter. "And if they find a new interest, many times they can continue on with our teachers throughout the year." The Art Academy also offers a K Camp program for 5 and 6 year olds. This year the Summer Art Academy is sponsoring a "Cabin of Kids" at Camp Del Corazon, a non-profit organization providing a camp experience for children with heart disease. "It's one of very few camps with a medically trained staff and the ability to give these kids an opportunity to be normal, to forget their ailments and to connect with others who have had similar experiences." says Wohlstadter. "For some it's the only experience they have away from home and we are glad we can help". In addition to the Art Camp, Wohlstadter runs the Cooking Camp in Woodland Hills and Pasadena for kids 7 to 16 taught by Le Cordon Bleu trained chefs as well as Clay Camp in Sherman Oaks taught by his wife Ellen.