- by Melanie Knapp

Radius Child and Youth Services says this on the internet, ”Dress Purple on October 27th to support vulnerable children and families in our community! Every October Children's Aid Societies across the province raise awareness about the important role that individuals and communities play in supporting vulnerable children, youth, and their families”.

When I read this I feel like wearing purple. It feels like wearing the purple for the diversity of youth may help make the youth warm. It might make them feel good. The goals of adults are often to have the youth use resources for them… or schools for them… or learning styles for them. But really to feel a ray of sunshine, to see the colours of a tree, to get a teddy bear, or a hug, or a nice meal or some warmth from people wearing purple is a nice thing too.

The Community Living Centre on Fourth avenue East is like a school for some youth that may be vulnerable at times. Your happy thoughts and loving prayers would probably help a lot on this dress purple day. The young people there can get left out….. of the community building and caring that is important for young people. Those with disabilities have great abilities waiting to be discovered….!

This place of Community Living is in my neighbourhood and my group, Comfort and Care, was able to drop off five books including some schooling books and some joyful books. It felt so good doing that. I hope to soon drop off more books there. It is nice to help in my own neighbourhood. It is comforting and caring for the youth and for me too. If you have books you want to give you can converse with me, [email protected].

Why do I reach out like this? I am a previous camp counselor, program specialist and camp director at the beautiful Presqu’ile Camp. I know that kids missed camp this year. If they want to see some stories and memories from camp they could visit my Presqu’ile facebook page. Doing some activities at home that you used to do at camp like singing and painting rocks and making bird houses or having a small scavenger hunt in the backyard… would be a way to feel the joys. One of our songs was, “Making a purple stew whip whip – whip, making a purple stew-be-do-be-do –bedobedobe. Purple tomatoes and purple tomatoes and that’s a purple stew.”

Some young people might remember the Johnny Appleseed song, “Oh the Lord is good to me, and so I thank the Lord, for giving me the things I need, the sun and the rain and the appleseed, the Lord is good to me.” You could say the earth is good to me in the song if that makes you more comfortable. And you could go out and get some Ontario apples that are ready this time of year. Thanking the diverse apple workers and growers and sellers and bakers is great. I picked apples for a day when I was young.

I want more people to acknowledge that today is a special day. Wear purple day is an important day. You could wear a purple hat, a purple scarf, a purple shirt or a purple smile. I know young people are important to this community. I know the adult community cares about their young people.

As the vulnerable children grow into adults they need to see adults that are also cared for and learning and having books… and joys and loving prayers and thoughts. This helps them to feel better being young. Because they feel like when they are older they will be alright. Smiles.

Many people are vulnerable adults and we can be proud of our joys and our caring and the way we show younger people that there is happiness and learning and love in the grown up world.

Today is a special day. I heard the announcement for this wearing of the warming colour of purple on the local radio station. Listening to the radio is nice to do whether you are younger or older. One of the radio announcers also worked at Presqu’ile camp with me. He is funny and smart. Do you any of you know him? His name is Don Vail. He sometimes talks about camp on the radio. It keeps the camp spirit alive.

I think dress purple day is good for the heart and the camp spirit. Cheers to young people.

Wear purple today. Think purple today. Sing purple today.