PJ Party Makes a Difference at Guilford Community Center

An "almost" sleepover will "definitely" make a difference in the lives of kids sheltering at New Haven's Life Haven, as well as for many local folks of all ages.

On Oct. 23, Guilford sisters Delaney Kenney, 9, and Addison "Addie" Kenney, 8, with assistance from mom Laurie Kenney, celebrated national Make a Difference Day by hosting an "Almost" Sleepover at the Guilford Community Center.

The event rounded up 42 girls ready to party in their pajamas, while putting in some time and effort toward community service, too.

For starters, each participant was encouraged to bring one new pair of winter pajamas for Life Haven, a New Haven non-profit dedicated to helping pregnant women and women with young children find temporary shelter, services, and support.

"The 42 girls at the celebration donated 70 pairs of winter pajamas to Life Haven…amazing stuff," said Laurie Kenney.

Make a Difference Day is a national event encouraging community service on the fourth Saturday in October. The sisters and their mom decided to get involved by taking the girls' annual "almost" sleepover up a notch this year.

"We decided it would be a good idea to have fun and help people at the same time," said Delaney Kenney.

The idea caught on and soon outgrew the Kenney's Guilford home.

"The Guilford Parks & Recreation Department generously donated the use of the Guilford Community Center for the event and there was no stopping the girls after that!" said Laurie Kenney.

As the party grew, the concept of community service grew, too. In addition to assisting Life Haven, the party kids decorated boxes to collect coats for Columbus House (New Haven) and food for the Guilford Food Bank. They collected pennies for the Audubon Society's Pennies for the Planet initiative. In addition, the night's activities including filling cookie jars for seniors in assisted living communities and painting ornaments to decorate patient's rooms in area hospitals over the holidays.

Helping the Kenney kids spread news of the event and gather support from local businesses were Guilford friends Willow Coleman, Rosalie Coleman, Marlah Hohlfelder, Isabel Kessler, and Sophie Marnin.

The group of girls made and delivered Make a Difference Day signs that garnered Guilford business support from Big Y (bottled water, party supplies), Walmart (pajamas for kids in need), Ashley's (ice cream), Pasta Avest (pizza), and Sachem Card and Party (balloons). Diana Dart Harris of New Haven Ballet's Guilford studio donated a dance/movement class for the girls to enjoy at the party while conductors from the United Girls' Choir came by to lead a singing workshop with the girls and Lani Rosen-Gallagher, owner of Full of Joy Yoga, closed the night with a relaxing yoga session for the party kids.