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Community Connections: Totally Kids enriching children in the Yampa Valley


Cassidy Crawford
For Steamboat Pilot & Today

In winter 2016, I answered an ad taped to the bulletin board in the high school hallway. It was advertising a volunteer position at Totally Kids, Inc. When I walked into that classroom that first day in January, I had no idea I would be a part of this program for the next three years to come. 

The thing that draws me to Totally Kids is the mission of their program, “Totally Kids, Inc. is committed to providing quality, affordable youth services; working in conjunction with other programs in the Hayden community to enhance the area’s “livability.”

When I was growing up, I got to play soccer and tee-ball through Totally Kid’s programs, and I spent my summers traveling around the Yampa Valley participating in the experiences provided in this program. Now, almost ten years later, I get to watch a new generation of children doing the same.



Totally Kids provides Hayden’s youth the opportunity to try things like swimming, hiking, kayaking, fishing, bowling, listening to live music, doing community service and more. The program provides participants with breakfast and lunch. Enrichment classes are also present on the roster to give the kids something extra to supplement their summer.

In addition to the Summer Day Camp, Totally Kids provides a Before School and After School Program during the school year. We serve breakfast before school and start the day right with games and a familiar place to go. After school, we spend some time unwinding from the day with snacks and recess, as well as completing homework before kiddos head home. On the Fridays Hayden has off school, Totally Kids is there with a full day camp. 



Four years ago, I had no idea how much this program would come to mean to me. The youth of this community are so lucky to have an organization that cares about them and has their best interest in mind. The board of directors had an ingenious idea all those years ago, and the community continues to be all the better for it. 

Cassidy Crawford is from Hayden. She has been working for Totally Kids year-round since 2016. 


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