KIDSAVE COOKOUT CELEBRATES SUMMER AND FUNDS IOWA VISITS FOR COLOMBIAN ORPHANS

Des Moines area families won’t want to miss this cookout for a cause. The evening includes games, food, generous auction items thanks to local businesses and live music. Proceeds will benefit Iowa Kidsave, an organization that matches older Columbian orphan children with loving Iowa homes.

Cookout details: The event runs from 4-9 p.m. on Saturday June 3 at the Granger Community Center, 2200 Walnut St., in Granger.

• 4 p.m. Lawn games, bounce house, minnow races
• 5 p.m. Dinner of pulled pork, cheesy potatoes, beans and beverages
• 6-9 p.m. Live music from Home After Dark
• The silent auction will run all evening.

Tickets: $25 per person, $50 per family. Purchase at www.kidsave.org and click on events.

Iowa Kidsave is the local chapter of a national organization seeking to get children worldwide out of orphanages and foster care and into permanent families. In Iowa, the Kidsave Summer

Miracles Program brings Colombian children, ages 11-14, to central Iowa for four weeks in July to meet potential parents through an orphan hosting program.

Local organizers Karen and John Erikson are passionate about Kidsave for a very personal reason – their 18-year-old daughter, adopted in 2013.

“Meeting our daughter Luz through Kidsave has impacted Luz, our marriage, our family, and our community in a powerful, beautiful way,” they said. “This is too important not to share.”

Check out the Eriksons’ story and Luz’ description of her transition from a Colombian orphanage to her forever family in Polk City, Iowa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQsM–EZN6U

To learn more, visit www.kidsave.org.