Outreach center will host children's holiday party

LAWRENCE — More than 700 children from the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence will attend the 20th Annual MILK Holiday Party from noon-6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, in the Kansas Union Ballroom. Nearly 200 KU student volunteers will participate.

Children will play games, make crafts, decorate cookies and have the chance to meet Santa. The annual event, which will be hosted by Mentors in the Lives of Kids (MILK), a program within the Center for Community Outreach, provides a chance to welcome their elementary school students to campus and celebrate the holiday season.

"This event is truly special because it allows KU students to volunteer and give back to the community around us,” said Jackie Entzminger, a coordinator for MILK.  “It also allows the children of the Boys and Girls club of Lawrence to interact with the life and culture here at KU, giving them an opportunity to see what it's like to be at a student at such a great university." 

MILK is one of CCO’s 12 programs, all of which work to address issues in the Lawrence community. MILK recruits KU students to volunteer as mentors at local elementary and junior high after-school programs alongside the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence. Volunteers assist children with homework, play games and activities, and strive to form meaningful relationships with the youth of Lawrence.

Founded in 1990, the Center for Community Outreach (CCO) is a student-run organization that encourages KU students to be active volunteers in both local and global communities. The organization works to bridge the gap between campus and the community by empowering students to become engaged and aware citizens. The Center for Community Outreach is the service arm of KU's Student Senate. For more information on the Center for Community Outreach, please visit cco.ku.edu or email cco@ku.edu.