Creative Kids Club being launched at Chapleau Hub (St John's) in January 2019

Cynthia Barlow used with permission

A Creative Kids Club is being launched at the Chapleau Hub (St John's Anglican Church) on January 3, 2019 -- what an awesome way to start a new year.

When I saw the post about the club on Facebook, I immediately contacted Cynthia Barlow, who is behind the project, for information, and she kindly got back to me very quickly. Thanks Cynthia.

She said, "I feel today that kids need to socialize more and have the opportunity to plan events and create with crafts. So many kids can be creative".

At the club the kids will be able to do creative art, plan events like putting on shows -- fashion show. puppet show -- put together a dance or a band - a place where they can socialize and be creative.

"Our slogan is CARE. We want the children to Create, Accept everyone for who they are, Respect each other and Express themselves." Great slogan!

Cynthia is a child development practitioner with " a lot of knowledge about children and their milestones and development."

She added that she has "a very creative daughter. She loves doing crafts and loves music. She inspired me to start this club." The other person involved is Hannah Barlow who had a similar idea in mind.

Let me flash back to my own growing up years in Chapleau, where there was no official creative kids club, but there were teachers and others in the community who played a role in developing our creative side.

For example when I was in Grades 3 and 4 at Chapleau Public School we had a Junior Red Cross Society which presented plays to the class. I directed and acted in a swashbuckler play with Alison McMillan, Brian and Teddy Demers which we created ourselves. We rehearsed at the Demers home and Mrs. Demers who owned a clothing store made our costumes. Mrs. Madeleine Pellow was our teacher who fully supported our production.

This single  creative activity in the late 1940s led me into a lifetime interest in drama and many years later when I was teaching at Chapleau High School, I directed plays in student productions.I also taught drama there.

 I even studied drama at the University of Toronto, and it all led to a faculty position at College of the Rockies where I taught a course in Children's Theatre in my early years there.

I was also fortunate that my mother, Muriel E (Hunt) Morris, taught at Chapleau Public School for 32 years and directed many plays and concerts including 'HMS Pinafore' by Gilbert and Sullivan. My only regret was that Mom would not let me use the costumes for plays with my friends! She would let me attend rehearsals in the old Town Hall in the evening.

My grandfather George Hunt also played a very important  role. When I was playing with toys in the living room, Grandpa would join me, and through him I learned much of the history of England. 

In a Facebook post on the Chapleau Community Bulletin Board, Cynthia asks that those interested send an email to creative_kids_club@outlook.com to obtain a regsitration form. There is no cost to register.

"We would like to have most of the children registered so that we have an idea of how many so we can prepare everything and make sure we have enough of everything for them," the post says. It also outlines the January project in detail.

Leighton Stultz used with permision

To sum it all up, I turned to my friend Leighton Stultz, the American model and actor to share his comments on the importance of "creative kids" in a message for the kids and parents too.

Leighton wrote: "Being creative is something all kids share equally. It's the one thing you can never run out of and can never be taken from you. It's a way to display your personality, smartness, kindness and every emotion all without needing the use of words. It's what sets you apart from the crowd but just as easily brings you together. Your creativity is yours and just like your fingerprint, no two are alike so don't ever be afraid to express yourself because the world needs you and your creativity."  Thanks Leighton.

FACEBOOK: Creative Kids Club

I wish everyone involved in the Chapleau Creative Kids Club every success. I will certainly follow your progress with great interest. My email is mj.morris@live.ca