How musicians, car dealers, neighbors have joined forces to help KEYS Kids with cancer

KEYS Program co-founder and Executive Director Colleen Bennett missed seeing her "KEYS Kids" in person throughout the pandemic over the last few years. This summer has been extra special for her, she said, as they are finally attending events together again — and she has seen some real changes in those children.

"The kids have really grown," she said. "It's so great to see them all in person again."

KEYS Kids are children whose lives have been impacted by cancer or other life-threatening illnesses, either facing that journey themselves or living it alongside a close family member. For nearly 30 years, the Sherrill-based KEYS Program has supported its extended family of KEYS Kids with music-based therapy, gifts, activities, programs and lots of smiles.

The KEYS Program was founded in 1993 by Bennett and her husband David after she lost her father, Charles Blair, to cancer. Singing to her dad as he lay in his bed was a great comfort to him as he fought the disease, Bennett remembered, and it helped him rest on sleepless nights. It was the inspiration of that heartfelt father-daughter time that led to the creation of the KEYS Program.

Today, Bennett and her KEYS music therapists serve around 500 KEYS Kids and their families across the state and beyond — all at no cost to the families.

A highlight of the KEYS outreach currently is the regular Summer Smiles Backyard Concert Series, where KEYS Program musicians go out to visit the homes of KEYS Kids to perform personal concerts. The Two Friends musical duo of Donna Mucks and Amy Boulrice provided the Smiles for Lainey and Lexi concert July 25 right at the kids' Sherrill home.

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'That's exactly what it is — a family'

For Mucks, her involvement in the program was meant to be.

Mucks recalled she had only just started playing and recording her own music some 15 years ago when someone asked what she wanted to do with her songs. She replied, "I want to heal people." Shortly afterwards she was driving in her car when she heard Bennett interviewed on the radio about the KEYS Program.

Today, Mucks is not only lending her musical talents to the cause but she is also a board member for the KEYS Program.

"I just love being able to provide moments of smiles, moments of hope and moments of lightness for families who are dealing with some heavy stuff," Mucks said. "It's been an honor and a pleasure to be a part of the KEYS family. That's exactly what it is — a family."

How to support KEYS Kids this summer 2022

The public is invited to meet some KEYS Kids and enjoy a pair of festive events with them this month at the Friendly auto dealerships in Hamilton.

Friendly Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is hosting a Car Show for Kids from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13 at 6512 Wes Road in Hamilton. Admission is free and there will also be music emceed by Mucks, the Pop's Kitchen Food Truck, Rick's Polar Pops Ice Cream Bus and a bounce house, plus 50/50 and prize raffles to benefit KEYS. All makes and models of vehicles are welcome and one will win the coveted KEYS Kids Choice trophy.

A week later, Friendly Ford at 2536 Route 12B in Hamilton hosts its Friendly Summer Fun Fest from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 to celebrate KEYS. This is also a free admission event with a music tent, a magician, face painting, a caricaturist, a balloon twister and the return of Pop's Kitchen and Rick's Polar Pops plus Red Pop Lemonade.

Friendly will also donate $100 for every vehicle sold in the month of August at both dealerships to KEYS.

Friendly General Manager Jeff McKee recalled he met Bennett and some of her KEYS Kids three years ago when the Friendly dealership in Geneva was doing a sponsorship at a racetrack event there. Last year, Ford offered donations —matched locally by Friendly — during a test drive event and the KEYS Program received more than $10,000 from that fundraiser.

"It's think it's just a great local program," said McKee. "It's great how they help out kids with cancer and Colleen has so much energy and obviously loves what she is doing."

"I think it's good for us to be able to help the families focus on the positives," Bennett added. "It's really a good lesson for all of us. I really feel like I am the lucky one to be able to support the families."

For more information, visit thekeysprogram.org or find the KEYS Program on Facebook.

Mike Jaquays is the community news reporter for the Mid-York Weekly. Email him at mjaquays@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Friendly car show, summer festival in Hamilton celebrate KEYS Program