Photo by George Kunke - From left are Golda Perry, Maddie Perry, Elsie Schreck, Josephine Perry, Maggie Schreck, Ruth Schreck, and Isaiah Perry, holding Yanni Perry. The kids practiced social distancing but were asked to take off their masks for the photo
SOUTH BEND - There were some very young entrepreneurs having fun while painting and offering their artwork on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Robert Bush Memorial Park in South Bend. The seven kids, ranging from ages one and a half to nine, were giving away their acrylic paint creations, along with bottled water, flowers, and a convenient shirt pocket Bible.
Organizing the two-family event was Isaiah Perry, from Raymond, who now lives in Montesano where he works for United Parcel Service.
"Our kids wanted to have a lemonade stand, but we wanted to be more sensitive to COVID-19, so we decided to go with a paint stand," Perry said. "We tried to come up with an idea to enrich the community and for the kids to have fun, and in a way to teach a work ethic."
One thing Perry said he has learned from the coronavirus pandemic is not "taking for granted the small things...like air."
In all, the seven young aspiring artists included Maggie Schreck (10), Josephine Perry, (9), Maddie Perry (6), Elsie Schreck (6), Golda Perry (4), Yanni Perry (2) and Ruth Schreck (1½).
"I'm having fun and I'm doing it to have fun," Maggie said.
"Me too! I did it to have fun," Josephine ('JoJo') chimed in. "I'm super-excited about this and my dad has a nine-day vacation and I got to be with my cousins."
"My name is Madeline Rose Perry and we want to have fun and we're excited and happy we got to do art," Maddie said. "It was fun to get it (paint) all over my hands and hair, and then we're gonna go swimming at Lake Sylvia!"
The kids had so much fun that they are already planning another artwork sale and will use some of the donations to purchase materials for their next project.