A tragedy occurred when a fire broke out in one of the barns at Kelly’s Kids, an after school program that uses farm animals to teach kids social and life skills, around 10-11 P.M.
On a cold winter night where one barn happened to house around 60 animals, the animals were stored inside of the barn on Friday, February 3rd, because of freezing temperatures and the owner, Kelly Cronin wanted to keep them warm during the night. She put a heater in the barn so they could keep warm, but the heater led to a fire. There was no escape for any of the animals because the flames were too strong. Cronin, her son, and firefighters tried to help the animals out but it was too late and dangerous to go into the barn. Most of the animals died in the fire, not a lot of them made it out.
“As the fire kept on burning throughout the night I could hear the animals crying,” one of the neighbors near Kelly ́s Kids said.
Citizens in the Prospect area created a GoFundMe with the goal to rebuild the barn structure and purchase new supplies. 100% of the funds made will go to recover what has been lost in the fire. People have been showing lots of support as they continue to donate. The goal of the GoFundMe was $85,000. Within two days the goal was passed.
Kelly Cronin started Kelly’s Kids in 1999 and had been running for over 20 years. They were open all day from 8 A.M to 7 P.M on weekdays and also had an after school program for children that ran from 2 P.M to 5 P.M. The program first started as a “petting zoo” that was commonly known for birthday parties. Kids would learn how to properly work with animals and keep them healthy/happy. Other than the After School Program, there are 6 other programs/services that Kelly Kids run. Other programs/services include, Animal Therapy, Intergenerational Program, Diversionary Program, Reward Program, and the Recreational Program.
The Animal Therapy Program is using animals as a way of therapy that could be a strong tool for the mind. The Intergenerational Program lowers blood sugar/heart rate and improves mood/depression. The Diversionary Program is an alternative to support local Juvenile Justice that supports at-risk youth. The Reward Program is for children and youth that possess leadership qualities. The Recreational Program gives unprivileged kids the opportunity to induce them to nature, outdoor experience, and farm life activities.
You can help out Kellys Kids by donating to the GoFundMe page HERE so the damage from the fire can be recovered. The barn will be built back up and new farming tools will be replaced.
