KOB Calendar

Here are a few events coming up for us:

Sunday, August 2: WKYU PBS pool party at the Russell Sims Aquatic Center. We'll all be out there to perform a couple shows and splash around.

Sunday, August 9 - 10: Regional training at Camp KOB in Chattanooga, TN

Friday, September 11: FESTIVAL OF SAND!!! It's coming up so soon!

Also, we've nearly completed the hiring process for our new puppeteer. Expect a spotlight feature on our new employee coming soon.

Because We Love Louisville (And The 'Ville Loves Us)

Grant Alert! Grant Alert! I'm a little giddy today because we've received another grant today. That's two in two days! This time, we've received $2,250 from the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health & Wellness as a part of the Mayor's Healthy Hometown Movement. Get ready Louisville, because this grant sends our troupe back to the city to perform obesity shows. This time around we're going to reach out to the city's organizations for children such as the YMCA and the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana. With this grant, our tally of shows in the Louisville area should reach about 20! We love The 'Ville!

Meeting in Louisville a Success!

In late March, I travelled to Louisville to meet with members of the WHAS Crusade for Children Advisory Council. During the course of this 8 minute meeting, we discussed the grant I had submitted in January (and just a little bit about eating on the river at Joe's Crab Shack). It was a tough meeting, but I left feeling like I knocked it out of the park. Last week, we received a message on our answering machine stating that the Crusade has invited KOB to attend a thank you lunch and check presentation at Cambridge Market at the end of July. This came as a surprise to all of us because at this point, we had no idea we had received anything. The official notice arrived in the mail today. We have been awarded $3,016 to perform 5 shows (Mental Health, Cerebral Palsy, Obesity, Cancer, and Child Abuse) for children in Louisville. Also, this grant covers half of the cost of replacing our relatively pitiful phone system. Excellent!

The troupe will be headed to Louisville quite a bit with the grants that I've written. Including funds from this grant and two others, we'll hit Louisville with 16 performances!

If you'd like to join us for our lunch and check presentation please let us know. It happens Tuesday, July 28 at noon at Cambridge Market.

Turner Foundation Funds KOB for One Final Year

At the end of June, members of the Laura Goad Turner Charitable Foundation met and decided to fund KOB’s performances in Allen County. The $10,000 grant will allow our troupe to perform free-of-charge for children in the county for the 2009-2010 school year. For the past several years, the Turner Foundation has kept our troupe performing for the children of Allen County. However, this is the last year we will receive funding. The Foundation has decided to shift focus to further aid their community. We have truly appreciated working with the Laura Goad Turner Charitable Foundation over the years and wish the Foundation the best in future endeavors.

In other news, my meeting with the WHAS Crusade for Children that occurred in March must have gone well. We received a call yesterday from a representative inviting us to a thank you lunch and check presentation at Cambridge Market at the end of the month. More information on that grant as I receive it in the mail.

Have a great weekend!

Kosair Commends KOB

This just in: Kosair Charities of Louisville, Kentucky has approved a grant proposal for performances in their home city. The $1,175 grant funds 2 performances--one spina bifida and one cerebral palsy--for schools or hospitals in 2010. This is an excellent opportunity for our troupe to educate children on these topics. The performances fit especially well with Kosair Charities as the organization funds agencies devoted to children's health issues, such as the Cerebral Palsy K.I.D.S. Center, the Spina Bifida Association of Kentucky. For more information, visit their website http://www.kosair.org/.

It certainly made my day!

Garden Tour is Hot

Saturday's sweltering heat didn't stop our community from checking out this year's Garden Tour and Tea. I was set up at the Tea site which is generally the last stop on tourists' bill. A glass of tea was certainly a treat after visiting the first 6 gardens in the warm weather. Even though the hot sun was a conversation topic, I definitely heard more about how lovely the other gardens on our tour were. The ladies (and gentlemen) had a blast from what I could tell. It was a great event for everyone. While we haven't totalled out exactly how well the fundraiser has done for us, Garden Tour was a success nonetheless. I'll post pictures as soon as we come by them. Unfortunately, I never had a chance to get some shots. We hurriedly preparing so that everything was perfect when guests started showing up. So, if you or anyone you know has pictures from the event, please email me at hillaryhalbig@kykob.org and with your permission, I would love to post them here for everyone!

KOB Puppeteers Stand for Children

Today, Community Education held the annual Stand for Children Day this morning on WKU’s South Lawn. The event sponsored by the Bowling Green Kiwanis club offered dozens of booths of activities from face painting to corn-hole. Kids that visited our booth were offered coloring pages and temporary tattoos. Some children even enjoyed checking out our puppets, Nam and Melody, up close. Check out some pictures.

Balloon animals across from our booth

Priscilla hands out coloring pages

Cuddling with Nam

Stand for Children Chairperson, Anne Grubbs, engages with the kids