'Crayon Kids' float makes colorful point Likepeople, they come in many hues By Ward Sanderson Staff writer
COEUR d'ALENE-The living room looked pretty normal, except in one comer. That's where the neon mountain range erupted in rows of bright, pointed peaks. They were cones, bigger even than the traffic type, in orange and black and green and yellow. On Friday, they'll be hats for 19 children riding in or wall<lng alongside the "Crayon Kids" float. Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations volunteers have been planning the spectacle for a month. But Wednesday, the makings of the July Fourth American Heroes Parade entry still were strewn all over Judy Hyatt's home and garage.
The idea is cute, simple and important: Crayons come in many colors, and so do people. The float will be a giant wooden crayon box, and the kids will ride inside. " It's 'Celebrate a Community Committed to Human Rights,' " Hyatt said, echoing the task force slogan. This week, a total of 50 volunteers helped get ready. On Wednesday, a handful of folks stuffed 5,000 (real) crayons into plastic bags. They'll be given away at the parade, along with human rights fliers and copies of pictures drawn by local kids. The eight pictures chosen all drive home human-rights themes: They're crayon kids, or a man in a wheelchair, or flowers-each with the face of a different race.
Lil Klsl'11mo1o/The Spokesman-Review
Kootenai Task Force on Human Relations members Judy Hyatt, Tony Stewart and Judy Whatley prepare crayon hats for kids to wear in the parade.
¡'J planned to choose one drawing but l just couldn't pick," said Hyart, a Canfield Middle Sch.-101 teacher.
Adults pitched in, too. Fred Meyer donated the 4,000 plastic bags. United Paint donated the Continued: Parade/83
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