A group of students at Bloomsburg University recently demonstrated their concern for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic - specifically, kids in KidsPeace’s residential treatment programs, Orefield.

A group from the Tau Kappa Epsilon chapter at Bloomsburg purchased art supplies, sidewalk chalk and packs of playing cards and donated them to KidsPeace during a socially distanced visit to the campus.

Bloomsburg senior Daniel Pruzinsky of Orefield, the treasurer of the TKE chapter, said the group heard about the need for recreational supplies at KidsPeace and decided to make the donation to show children at the facility that people care about their well-being.

“The message we are trying to relay to the kids at KidsPeace is that ‘family’ is not just mom and dad like people usually think of,” he said. “It could be friends or boyfriends and girlfriends, or like for us the bond and brotherhood between members of our chapter at Bloomsburg.”

Paige Keeter, senior director of Applied Behavior Analysis and recreational services at the campus, told the TKE group their donations will help expand the experiences of kids in the programs.

“During COVID we’ve been very limited in the activities we can do. Our youth can’t go off campus right now because of safety concerns,” she said. “So we are trying to program for them 24 hours a day, seven days a week to keep them occupied and busy.

“They’ll be very happy to get these items, especially the art supplies, because that’s one of their favorite things to do.”