Characters of Character Celebrates 17 Years
Miss Joni here to share our excitement of being a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization for seventeen years! I’ll share my fondest seventeen memories of what we’ve accomplished, who we’ve met and how we have made an impact, engaged and empowered our children and youth in these nine core values. They’re in no particular order, but sure do make me smile at the thought of each one! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Cheers to many more years! Hope you’ll join us in this journey of making a difference in the life of a child.
Radio Disney
In 2010 Characters of Character was invited to be on Radio Disney, can you just imagine our excitement!? Well, we drove down to the city of Chicago at 6:00 a.m. with a lot of enthusiasm. As Adam (left in photo) interviewed me we had a great conversation about the nine characters. He had asked if any of them came with us that day. It was just for fun as there were no visuals. I said, “yes, Friendship Frog took the drive down with us this morning” and he asked if we could interview the character! My husband Joe is always a team player, so he came into the room and was then interviewed as Friendship Frog!
Student Dresses as Do’er Duck for Halloween
In 2005 when I worked as a Teaching Assistant on the Reading Team, a student named Megan loved the character Do’er Duck. For Halloween her mom and she made their own costume version of the character and paraded in our Halloween festivities that day. Years later our Characters, including Do’er Duck, were brought to life in costume. When our organization attended the Chicagoland Kids Expo, Megan and her mom joined us at the event where Megan helped walk Do’er Duck around - how fun! Today Megan is even an elementary school teacher.
First Published Book
In 2004 my daughter and I were at a Tim McGraw concert. We returned home late that evening and my husband was waiting up for us. He said, '“you better sit down” and as you might imagine, the worst things went through my mind, and then he said, “a publisher called tonight and wants to publish your book!” This excitement led me to later publish our Characters of Character books.
Letters of Gratitude
It absolutely warms our hearts when we receive a letter of thanks from the hospitals that we are partnered with to donate Superhero character building activity boxes to their children in the hospital. Knowing that we are making a difference in the life of a child is important to what we do.
Programming at NECAT in Nashville!
Never in a million years would I have thought that I would be able to bring any of the characters to life on the big screen! And look at us now! We did a few paintings with two of the Characters of Character to show children how to paint them and what the trait means. How fun is that to open a door of communication and learn about what it means to have good character!?
Sharing with Fisher Houses across the USA
This is a big one! I had a wonderful conversation with Fisher House late last year to share our passion to make a difference in the life of a child. They love what we do and to be able to donate our activity boxes to families who are staying at a Fisher House brings us great joy. It’s the least we could do as their family member protects and serves in this country.
Meeting Desmond Clark #88 former Chicago Bears
What fun this was! I had reached out to Desmond and he agreed! We held a bags game tournament at a local pizza pub to raise funds for Characters of Character. While he and I were talking he asked if I played the game, and I said, “yes”. He said, let’s see! So, I tossed the bean bag which went right in! We were both pretty amazed, he shared how competitive he is and I thought that I’d be a shoe in! While it was a thrill to say the least, I thought, “I can’t do that to him, Joni, tell him it was a fluke” we both a had a good laugh!
Shriners Children’s Hospital Visit in Chicago
What an opportunity to bring our character Self-Esteem Elephant to Family Day at the Shriner’s Children in Chicago. Miss Joni talked with the families about confidence and self-esteem and shared those three little words, “I Like ME” then the children painted Self-Esteem Elephant on canvas and brought their art work home as a reminder to like who they are. There was one young girl sitting at the table with her mom and I walked over to ask her if she would like to come paint with me?! Hesitant, then her mom said for her to go! We wound up having a beautiful conversation as she was nervous about going into high school. This reassurance was just what she needed and I felt honored to share some insight with her. On the drive home I shared with kids that we were there today, just for that young lady. Confirmation that what we do is making a difference, one child at a time.
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital with Gnash from Nashville Predators
In the Spring of 2021 we received word that the Nashville Predators Smile Foundation would donate to our organization to bring 250 Superhero character building activity boxes to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, what a thrill! In October of 2021 we had now relocated to Tennessee where we reside and continue our work to make a difference in the life of a child. We are registered in Illinois, too and continue this work. We even got to go to a Predators Hockey game which I had never been to, and just, WOW! What a great organization that does so much for their community! Go Blue and Gold!
Chicagoland Kids Expo
This was our first debut with all of the Characters of Character! We wrangled up volunteers who met us at the Renaissance Center in Schaumburg, Illinois. The volunteers dressed in costumes and walked around the event sharing coloring pages, bookmarks and information about our organization. The kids loved us! The following year we went again and a family had come up to our booth where the mom shared this, “I am so glad to see you here, we came here special to see you! You shared such valuable information last year and we love what you do” needless to say this made my heart do the happy dance! What fun this was! I had reached out to Desmond and he agreed! We held a bags game tournament at a local pizza pub to raise funds for Characters of Character. While he and I were talking he asked if I played the game, and I said, “yes”. He said, let’s see! So, I tossed the bean bag which went right in! We were both pretty amazed, he shared how competitive he is and I thought that I’d be a shoe in! While it was a thrill to say the least, I thought, “I can’t do that to him, Joni, tell him it was a fluke” we both a had a good laugh!
Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins
As you might imagine, this was another high light! I mean come on, Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins supporting our organization! What a thrill! We donated Superhero character building activity boxes to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt with their generosity. Plus, later, we were featured on one of Thomas Rhett’s songs, check out my family on Life Changes!
Friendship Frog Classroom Visit
This was a favorite visit of mine as I knew the Principal of the School and a few teachers. I brought Friendship Frog with me to talk with the children about being a friend. After the discussion on friendship, I shared that Friendship Frog was here and would like to meet you, is that okay?! One little boy looks at me and says, “I already know Ms. Jaime is going to be in a costume of Friendship Frog” AND MY JAW JUST DROPPED! I reassured him that wasn’t true, and when Friendship Frog walked in holding Ms. Jaime’s hand, HIS JAW DROPPED!! We took a group photo and later that week Friendship Frog autographed the photo and sent it to the classroom letting the students know how nice it was to meet each and everyone of them and for being a good friend! The students didn’t want to go to recess after meeting the character, they chose to stay inside and write letters to Friendship Frog!
Mommy & Me Painting Classes
I partnered with a local Park District to host Mommy and Me Painting classes which soon built into visiting local Libraries, homes and even a local barn where we talked about the character trait, painted the character on canvas and the kids all got to meet the character in costume, making the character alive!
Manners Sparks a Conversation
I had the opportunity to visit a local library with a group of children and their parents and we talked about having good manners. I read a story, “Let’s Have Manners” and began the conversation about what it means to have manners. “What are polite words that we use?” I asked the children. After the discussion, we painted Manners Monkey on canvas for the children to take home and to be reminded about what it means to have good manners. When I arrived home that evening, I had a wonderful email from a parent who attended the class. She shared her gratitude for me coming out that night and talking about manners. While she was driving home with her daughter, her daughter wanted to learn words in her native language. What a teachable moment and easy way to engage children in a conversation.
Miss Roy Utah
Shelby Hill had phoned me one evening to learn if she could use our platform as she was running to be Miss Roy Utah and hoped to go on to Miss Utah! What a beautiful young lady, inside and out. She chose to focus on Respectful Rabbit in an elementary classroom, and held a Tea Party for young girls with Self-Esteem Elephant speaking about confidence and also Manners Monkey speaking politeness with the ladies. My husband and I met her dad in Wisconsin where he was traveling back home and passing through, so we brought a few of the characters for her to borrow! She is now a mother of three small children and living her best life!
Community Visits
We have done a number of community visits, here is Respectful Rabbit sharing what respect looks like in a community. Miss Joni read the book Respect Wears Many Hats and talked about the many people who live and work in a community. The Firemen, Policemen, a Dentist, a Teacher and others came to enjoy the day with the children and share with them who they are and their role in the community. Fun day was had by all!
Visiting Lamb’s Farm
All the Characters of Character visited Lamb’s Farm who provide vocational, recreational and and residential programs for people with disabilities. We had college students come out to volunteer and dress in character and spend the day with Santa!
Thank you for letting me share 17 memories as we celebrate 17 years as a nonprofit organization.