Trunk or Treat for Girlie Girls
Published 7:58 am Monday, October 27, 2014
Children donning their favorite costumes strolled from trunk to trunk for treats at the second annual Trunk or Treat food drive held Sunday at the Ward 3 Recreation Complex.
Nine-year-old Kennedy King wore her zebra costume along with her step-brother Ronald Young, 10, who said he was dressed up as a “creepy clown.”
“I wanted to help give out candy to the kids,” King said.
Anita Barker, founder/mentor, said the event is put on by nearly 40 volunteers who want to give back to the community and raise awareness for the Girlie Girls Mentoring Program, a non-profit in Lake Charles.
The program is for girls ages 12-18, and it “helps girls know that they should dream big and can accomplish all goals in life,” Barker said.
“I encourage the girls to do their very best,” Barker said.
The mentoring program holds monthly seminars and year-round mentoring workshops.
Tammey Thierry, a mentor, said the girls are counseled about topics ranging from etiquette to dating.
“It’s very important for young girls to have strong self-esteem, be confident about who they are, and in order for them to get to that level, they have to have people in their lives who can help them promote it and show them how to do it in a positive way,” Thierry said. “That way they can be prepared for the world. We have to prepare them — mind, body and soul — for the future. A mentoring program is the best way to get them on that path.”
Kailin Labbe is a 16-year-old who benefits from the program.
“Ever since I’ve joined I’ve appreciated everything the mentors have done for me,” said Labbe, who attends Barbe High School. “I love my fellow Girlie Girls, and we’ve learned to give back to the community and feel really good about ourselves.”
Rachel Garner, a sponsor, said her 11-year-old daughter is in the program.
“It teaches them the importance of how they carry themselves,” Garner said. “The more positive things there are in the community the more it enhances their education.”
Admission to the event was to donate a non-perishable food item to go toward the upcoming Thanksgiving food drive.
Rick Hickman
