In February 2008 a new website was launched: “Kids Are Heroes.” It began as a project that my nine-year-old daughter, Mary Margaret and I could collaborate on. She had come to me asking to build her a website. I thought this was a great idea since this could help instill and develop many desirable skills and character traits in her as she grows. After we discarded a few frivolous ideas, she said we should build something that would help animals, one of her passions. 

I said, “Why not help people too?” and Kids Are Heroes was born. The focus of the website is to showcase and promote children who are doing exceptional things in their communities. Once parents bring their children to the site, kids get naturally inspired to do their own creative things as they are encouraged by what others are doing. Some of the acts are quite simple to carry out, so children see that they too can be effective.

On Saturday, September 6^th, the Francis Scott Key Mall is sponsoring a “Kids are Heroes Day” from 10AM-4PM located at the Center Court fountain area. Several of the heroes local to the Frederick community will be promote their favorite causes and collecting donations for them.  At 1PM there will be a recognition ceremony where all the heroes will be awarded certificates by the mall. 

For more information about “Kids Are Heroes Day” or the website itself, please contact Gabe O’Neil at gabe@kidsareheroes.com or visit www.kidsareheroes.com.

About the author: Gabe O’Neil is the founder and president of Wags for Hope, a non-profit organization based in Frederick whose volunteers take their pets out into the community to visit the elderly and handicapped. He and his nine-year-old daughter MaryMargaret are the founders of Kids are Heroes.