April 16, 2023
By Jacob Richey & Kahleah Gaither, KOMU 8 Reporters
COLUMBIA — The Day Dreams Foundation and Boys and Girls Club of Columbia partnered to host a youth equipment resale and family resource fair on Saturday.
The resale, which was open to the public and was held at the Boys and Girls Club, offered gently used sports and dance equipment for children of all ages. All items were free.
Day Dreams Foundation, based in Columbia, provides scholarships to children who qualify for free and reduced lunches to participate in any extracurricular activity of their choice. The foundation has served the community since 2014.
Marian Hughes, a parent whose family received help from the foundation for about a year, said Day Dreams has made it easier for her children to do what they love.
“It made it affordable for my kids to do the sports. Since I have multiple children in sports, it made it affordable for us to continue sports,” Hughes said.
President of the Day Dreams Foundation Kelsey Louder Kirchhoff said she believes Day Dreams can help children do what they want without financial limitations.
“The impact Day Dreams can leave is it can give kids that same experience where they can do the activity they want to do,” Kirchoff said. “They don’t have to worry about the cost because Day Dreams can help provide that. We just always say that every kid deserves to be a star.”
The foundation is eager to help children in need, said Tricia Koedel, executive director of the foundation. Koedel has participated in the equipment resale for about three years.
“So what we’ve done is we’ve opened up our equipment closets so families can take any items free of cost that they might need to use,” Koedel said. “A leotard for gymnastics, a bat and a ball to practice baseball at home, things like that. Tons of cleats. We want to get those in the hands of kids who can use them.”
Nyamekye Foster is another parent with the Day Dreams Foundation who said his son has been able to participate in multiple sports with the foundation’s help. Foster said he believes events like this help unify the community.
“It allows the community to come together, whether it be to come get something that you don’t have or even be able to add to things someone can use. So if you are on either side of it, it is a good thing,” Foster said.
Foster was able to take away something from the resale that was particularly special to him as a father.
“I was able to get a glove so I can catch with my son and help him with how to catch the ball in baseball and not to be afraid of it,” Foster said.