Katherine kids get creative and celebrate your grand kin!

1 Sep 2021

NT Seniors Voice for Katherine by COTA NT

Kids in Katherine are urged to take part in a “I Love Grandie” competition designed to promote awareness of the aims of the first ever Grandparents Day to be formally held in the Northern Territory.

Grandparents Day has been celebrated across the world and in some Australian stages, but not yet in the Territory and COTA NT has been working to bring it into the calendar for over five years.

Grandparents Day is an occasion to say thank you to the older members of our communities who play such an important role in raising the next generations. Often their input goes unrecognised and is undervalued. It’s time to change all that.

This year, thanks to the support of the NT Government and major sponsors, nbn, Netball NT and Life Without Barriers, the organisation has launched a dedicated Grandparents Day website, will hold its first event on Sunday 31 October and runs its first ever ‘I Love Grandie’ competition.

To enter “I Love Grandie”, kids simply need to create and submit a piece of work (art, sculpture, poem, digital picture, story etc.) via the Grandparents Day website which celebrates their special connection with a loved elder. 6 winners from each educational region will win book vouchers for themselves and $1000 of school resources. The winner of the nbn Special Category, “Creativity through Connectivity” will receive a laptop for their class and a laptop for their school.

The overall winners’ work will be displayed at Parliament House in Darwin. The competition closes on the 17 September.

As COTA NT cannot be everywhere itself on the day, the website also includes a free Community Resources Kit which provides anyone anywhere in the Territory with all the tools they need to run an event or activity for Grandparents Day. No matter how big or small it is, the kit can help. The Kit provides an event and budget planner, promotional kit including bunting, posters, flyers and email signatures, plus colouring sheets and activity ideas.

Individuals or schools can download the kit from the ntgrandparentsday.org.au website.