On a quiet Saturday morning when most children are still cozy in bed, a group of about 70 children is already bustling around setting up their vendor booths for the annual Kenmore Children’s Business Fair.
Walking among the stalls, you can feel the excitement as the kid-trepreneurs set out the products they have developed over the past several months — everything from hand-crocheted stuffed animals to tabletop succulent gardens.
Throughout the day, hundreds will visit the business fair to shop in the festive atmosphere and support the kids’ efforts.
The fair is much more than an opportunity to sell products. It’s the mission of the grassroots Thoughtful Citizens in action. The organization is all about building community.
The seed for Thoughtful Citizens was planted in 2017, when founder Maura Query was looking for community service opportunities that she and her young daughter could participate in together. Most organizations had age restrictions or required continued commitment, making it difficult for parents to volunteer with their children.
After an unsuccessful search for things that she and her daughter could step up to help with on a whim, Query decided to begin her own all-ages and all-abilities community service event.
“Everybody’s individual contributions can make a difference,” says Query, “And I wanted to remove barriers so more people can serve in their community.”
Thoughtful Citizens has evolved into an organization with a far-reaching community impact. All events are designed to allow people of all ages and abilities to work together toward a common goal in support of the community.
To date, volunteers with Thoughtful Citizens have collected over 700 pounds of trash, created and distributed over 2,400 cards to seniors, and produced and delivered over 2,200 scarves to unhoused individuals. The impact of volunteering goes far beyond the event itself.
“I want volunteers to leave feeling more empowered to do good in their daily lives,” says Query.
Learn how to help: Visit thoughtful-citizens.org.
