By STEVEN CALHOUN/Staff Writer

Kids First Awareness 21st Century Learning Center organized and dedicated a butterfly garden to the senior citizens of the West End community.

“The project is in honor of Mrs. Mary Sims and Oscci Allen for their love and leadership,” Kids First director Cindy Hawkins said.

Hawkins said the goal of the project was “to have a place for seniors to gather.” The garden has a walking trail and flowers, and has a fence to provide some privacy to the area on Martin Luther King Street.

The theme of the day was “pay your blessings forward.” Wetumpka Community Action executive director Elaine Pace was the guest speaker.

At the ceremony, children who came with Kids First joined with children in the West End community to paint the fence of the garden.

“It was really beautiful,” Hawkins said. “It was a great day of helping others … and strengthening our community.”

The ceremony included the hanging of flowers and the U.S. Flag from a tree in the garden to honor Sims and Allen.

When Hawkins asked Allen to place his flag on the flagpole, she said “his eyes were full of tears.”

Mayor Billy Joe Driver spoke at the dedication ceremony, where there was live music, a prayer table, a bouncy house and a children-versus-adults volleyball game.