(Sherrill, NY- Feb. 2016) The KEYS Program invites you to join them for “Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve Day” on Leap Day Feb. 29. This is a special day when you can help create BIG smiles and LEAPING hearts by wearing a KEYS heart on your sleeve in honor or memory of a loved one who has battled cancer.
Each sticker is just $2 and has room for you to write in the name of a friend or loved one that you want to honor. What a great way to have your workplace, classroom, friends and family involved to wear your hearts together to show your support of a classmate, co-worker or someone you know who has been impacted by cancer.
The KEYS Program is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that provides bedside music, family respite days and sibling support programs to kids battling cancer and serious illnesses in Central New York and across the US…all at no cost the families they serve.
The KEYS Program was founded in 1993 by Central New York native and retired NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Official, David Bennett and his wife Colleen, in memory of Colleen’s father who passed away from cancer. The “Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve Day” was created as a special way to honor the memory of Colleen’s father.
“My Dad was a very caring and loving man,” said Colleen. “He gave the best hugs and had a very soft heart for kids, especially kids in need. Our friends and family would often say he ‘wore his heart on his sleeve.’ Today, our “Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve Day” is held as a special way to honor my Dad, our KEYS kids and all of those, young and old, who have battled cancer.”
This year, the KEYS Program hopes to have hearts worn on sleeves across the country.
“Winter can be a very lonely and isolating time for our KEYS kids,” said Colleen Bennett, KEYS founder. “Our goal this year is to let our KEYS kids know they aren’t alone and that there are lots of folks out there who are thinking about them. We are asking for people across the US to purchase a heart or two and share your photo with us. We will post the photos on our website and social media so our KEYS kids far and wide can see the photos and know we all are thinking of them. We can’t wait to see how many states we reach and how many smiles everyone can help create. After all, at KEYS, it’s all about the smiles.”
Heart stickers can be purchased on the KEYS website at www.theKEYSprogram.org or by calling or emailing the KEYS office at 315-363-6446 or keysprogram@msn.com. (Be sure to place your order for hearts by Feb 22 to ensure you receive them in time for the big day).