Visitors to NEAR’s table at the Farmers’ Market in Ellensburg on Saturday, July 8, 2023, had a great time creating and decorating their own parchment scrolls on which they had ‘declared’ what they believed in and valued most in their lives.

The sunflower signifies happiness, optimism, honesty, longevity, peace, admiration, and devotion. Bright and cheery, warm and inviting like the summer sun, sunflowers brought joy to the children at the Farmers’ Market on the drizzly morning of June 10, 2023, as they happily drew and colored the centers of the flowers.

Older children and adults wrote acrostic poems using the words “JUNETEENTH’ and ‘AMERICA’, to express what this meant to them.

The theme for NEAR’s expressive arts event at the Ellensburg UU Church on Sunday, May 28, 2023 was creativity. Participants were invited to create ideas, dreams, and prayers to be voiced in the wind. The participants wrote their messages on labels, decorated them, then tied them to a tree in the church’s yard.

Free pizza, art activities, free art supplies, and more! For more information call or text Gaby at (509) 731-4261