News

What does it mean to be a caring neighbor? Preschoolers learned all about kindness at the  Daniel Tiger Be My Neighbor Day on March 28 at the Marksbury Family Branch of the Lexington Public Library.

The annual event, brought to the Cardinal Valley neighborhood by KET, Fred Rogers Productions and the PNC Grow Up Great initiative, brings families together around activities that support community caring and learning.  A total of 209 children and 238 adults attended this year.

Families assembled hygiene kits and snack bags to support Cardinal Valley and James Lane Allen elementary schools, the Ronald McDonald House, and the Nathaniel Mission, a neighborhood youth development and wellness initiative that serves families living along the Versailles Road corridor.

Children and families also got to meet local helpers like firefighters and ambulance crews. Each child took home a goodie bag filled with educational resources like a bilingual picture book plus fun items like a fidget toy and a tiger ears headband. And they got to have their photo taken with Daniel Tiger.

Families surveyed had positive comments about the event:

“Kiddo enjoyed the puzzles and fire truck! I grew up with Mr. Rogers and love I can share that with my son.”

“I thought it was well organized with a good flow. I also liked the ability for children to be helpers and pack bags for others.”

Community partners also enjoyed the family-friendly event:

“I thought it was an awesome day and experience for everyone. Being able to see the excitement on the kiddos’ faces was the best!”

“The library staff was very helpful. The families that showed up seemed to enjoy every activity.”

A PBS film crew captured the event for a video for Fred Rogers Productions, which will premiere at the PBS Annual Meeting in May.