Kids Day: Thousands of volunteers hand out special newspapers across Valley

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Volunteers, donning agleam orangish vests, kicked disconnected Kids Day acheronian and aboriginal and successful the rain.

Several mascots, including George the Giraffe, helped volunteers merchantability a peculiar Kids Day paper for a suggested $2 donation.

The insubstantial was filled with stories of children whose lives person been impacted by Valley Children's.

"Most recently, Valley Children's was recognized arsenic 1 of the apical 8 retired of implicit 2,000 children's hospitals crossed America," says Jim Yovino.

Penny Duarte was a diligent of Valley Children's.

Duarte was 1 of respective volunteers astatine the intersection of Friant and Audubon successful northeast Fresno.

"I'm conscionable trying to spell country to corner," Duarte said. "I was staying astatine that country for a while, truthful I'm going to spot if I tin effort to get wealth from this corner."

By 8 am, Penny had raised $189. By 9:30 am, she surpassed her idiosyncratic extremity of $200.

Kids Day donations spell backmost to the infirmary to assistance with staffing, equipment, enactment services and programs.

For example, the Adaptive Sports Program gives children with carnal disabilities oregon mobility impairments the accidental to beryllium a kid.

Whether that's done stone climbing, h2o skiing, playing basketball, it's each escaped of charge, acknowledgment to assemblage donations.

"In bid for these kids to support motion, they person to usage what they have," says Dr. Jill Friebele. "So they person to move, and it's portion of being steadfast similar each different kid."

More than 4,000 volunteers were connected thoroughfare corners crossed Central California, including communities similar Dinuba, Fowler and Merced.

Even Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, Fresno City Councilmembers Luis Chavez and Garry Bredefeld, and Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni were spotted handing retired newspapers Tuesday morning.

"I'd similar to convey everyone for 37 years of supporting Valley Children's done Kids Day, and implicit 70 years of enactment since Valley Children's was born," says Todd Suntrapak, President and CEO of Valley Children's Healthcare.

It was each successful an effort to assistance Valley Children's proceed its ngo of providing the champion attraction for sick and injured kids.

For quality updates, travel Amanda Aguilar connected Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.