Local kids' artwork helps others who are ill

Genna Atkins of Eureka and Dakota Riddle of Waterloo, Ill., like to draw and paint. They found a way this year to use their talent to help sick kids at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital.

Eight-year-old Genna and 10-year-old Dakota were among 17 winners in the hospital's 2003 Cards for Kids art competition. The artwork has been made into Christmas cards that will raise money for kids' care in the hospital..

All the kids in Genna's class at Most Sacred Heart School in Eureka submitted Cards for Kids artwork in this year's competition. Genna's winning entry marked the second consecutive year a Most Sacred Heart student has had a winning entry.

Dakota's entry was an individual one. All other winners go to Catholic schools but Dakota goes to public school in Waterloo. He heard about the competition from an aunt, who works at Cardinal Glennon.

Kids in Genna's class all worked on their artwork in class. "There were 28 of us and we all entered as part of the art class," she said.

Dakota did his artwork at home and admits he had to rush to meet the contest's deadline.

"I heard about it early enough and had it on my schedule. But, I kept putting it off until near the deadline," he said.

A total of 1,500 kids submitted artwork during the 2003 annual art competition.

Besides Genna and Dakota, other winners were:

Nick Ahlemeyer, 13, St. Louis; Katie Fogarty, 10, Ballwin; Maddie Hopkins, 5, Washington, Mo.; Kathryn Jahneke, 13, Fenton; LeeAnn Karpel, 13, St. Louis; Annie Karpinski, 10, St. Louis; Abby Lappe, 9, Perryville, Mo.

Cory Mitchell, 12, St. Peters, Mo.; Matthew Simpson, 9, Ballwin, Mo.; Courtney Stankoven, 11, St. Peters, Mo.; Courtney Underhill, 11, Ballwin, Mo., and four others who submitted anonymous entries.

The Cards for Kids program was organized nine years ago to raise money for the Cardinal Glennon's Children Fund. The funds provide care for premature and critically ill infants and young accident victims.

(If you or your family would like to order boxes of cards, you can call (314) 577-5605 or 1-800-269-0552. Also, you can order online at www.glennon.org.

(For a look at other winning entries, click here and on Cards for Kids icon. )

Genna's early interest in art sometimes got her into trouble. When she was little, she often used crayons and markers on walls, the car or just about anywhere else around the house.

But, she's got better discipline now. She even got a big "art box" for Christmas last year. That means she's got a place to store all of her art supplies.

She can even claim to be a "professional" artist. That's because she received $50 for taking second place in a U.S. Power Squadron Youth Poster Contest. Her grandfather is a Power Squadron member and suggested she enter.

Most of her artwork at home involves drawings or paintings of animals, especially cats. She and her brother and sister have two cats and a small dog as pets.

But, Genna says she uses pictures of cats in books as models for her artwork. "I can't use Smokey Joe (one of her cats) because he can't stand still," she said.

Dakota uses his drawings or paintings to illustrate fictional stories he writes. He said he's written three long stories. One was about a shark attack. Another was about "make believe" dinosaurs. "Another was about my cousins but I used different names," he said.

Both art winners have lots of other interests.

Genna plays forward on a select soccer team this summer. She started playing in kindergarten but this is the first year on the Busch Select team.

She got a keyboard last Christmas and plans to start piano lessons in the fall.

Dakota started trumpet lessons last month so he can be in the school band this fall. He also plays football, baseball and baseball and in on a swim team.

Asked about the future, Genna thinks she'd like to be an artist and/or a teacher.

Dakota says he might like to be a pet store owner. He's getting lots of practice. His family lives on 10 acres outside of Waterloo. He's got 12 dogs, a horse and a goat.